Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q40/00—Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
  • G06Q40/12—Accounting
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M15/55—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP for hybrid networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/77—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges involving multiple accounts per user
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
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  • H04M15/70—Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
  • H04M15/78—Redistributing amount between accounts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M15/82—Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• • 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
  • H04M15/82—Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
  • H04M15/8214—Data or packet based
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H04M15/82—Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
  • H04M15/8228—Session based
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • 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
  • H04M15/82—Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
  • H04M15/8257—Unit based
• • 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
  • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
  • H04M17/20—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
  • H04M17/204—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
  • H04M2017/24—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/2006—Fixed telephone network, e.g. POTS, ISDN
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
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  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/2026—Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
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  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/2033—WLAN
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/204—UMTS; GPRS
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/20—Technology dependant metering
  • H04M2215/2046—Hybrid network
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/28—SMS billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/46—Connection to several service providers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/724—Linked accounts
  • H04M2215/7254—Multiple accounts per user
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/7277—Account specifications on parallel communications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/72—Account specifications
  • H04M2215/7277—Account specifications on parallel communications
  • H04M2215/7281—Redistribute amount between accounts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/78—Metric aspects
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M2215/78—Metric aspects
  • H04M2215/7806—Time based
• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M2215/78—Metric aspects
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• • H—ELECTRICITY
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  • H04M2215/78—Metric aspects
  • H04M2215/7833—Session based
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
  • H04M2215/78—Metric aspects
  • H04M2215/786—Unit based
• • 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 invention relates to a method and a server for
• Prepaid systems or system with pre-payment is for subscribers or customers the ability to communication ⁇ services and application services, such as MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), SMS (Short Message Service), SIP (Session Initiati ⁇ on Protocol) or downloading to pay in advance of data or making telephone calls in order to receive a charge credit from a provider or communications service provider.
• MMS Multimedia Messaging Service
• SMS Short Message Service
• SIP Session Initiati ⁇ on Protocol
• the charge credit corresponding to the consumed communication units KE is reduced.
• the communication units KE is conventionally it to time ⁇ units which specify a time duration of a communication link or data volume units, which specify an amount of transferable data.
• one charge unit per minute of telephone call or one charge unit per 1 MB of data transferred is subtracted from the subscriber's charge credit.
• the billing of charges is done while the communication is in progress so that the available charge credit of the subscriber is not overstated.
• a subscriber can communicate simultaneously over multiple communication links or links and, in particular via different access networks, insbeson ⁇ particular via a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) and WiMax
• a charge management server or AAA server Authen- tication Authorization and Accounting
• the access network server to a contingent of communication units KE or a time and / or volume quota.
• AAA server Authen- tication Authorization and Accounting
• the assigned quota of communication units is consumed by using the service or the desired communication service, a new contingent of communication units is assigned by the conventional fee management server with a sufficient fixed fee credit of the subscriber.
• This object is achieved by a method having the features specified in claim 1 and by a fee management server with the features specified in claim 14.
• the invention provides a method for assigning communication units to access network servers by a charge management server that manages a charge credit for each subscriber, wherein the charge management server upon receipt of a billing message for billing
• Fees for a desired by a subscriber communication service to an access network server sends a callback message for calling back already assigned communication units, if an available charge credit VG of the subscriber less and an actual charge credit TG of the subscriber higher than the fee specified in the billing ⁇ message for the desired communication service fee amount is.
• the inventive method has is that it avoids coating a prepaid charge credit while allowing, paral to use multiple communication services ⁇ lel, taking fully into use the advantage of the prepaid charge credit.
• a further advantage of the inventive method is that the signaling overhead for the charge female ⁇ administration particularly at low charges remaining credit of a participant is minimized.
• a further advantage of the method according to the invention is that the number of interactions of the subscriber with the charge management server for charging the prepaid charge credit is reduced.
• the fee management server reclaims unused communication units KE as needed in order to make them available for another communication unit. new service.
• the fee management server queries the already actually used part of the communication units KE consumed by a communication service and allocates the still unused portion of the communication units to another or a new communication service if necessary. This is particularly advantageous when a first charge credit of a subscriber comes to an end and for a link or another communication service, a new contingent of communication units must be assigned or a single event, crizspielswei ⁇ se downloading a ringtone, should be charged.
• the charge management server then weighs up how far the quotas already granted were already exhausted of communication units, he who by them for the toll technical settlement of a Einzelereig ⁇ Nisses not excise or unencumbered communication units th reassigns example, another access network or used.
• the charge management server after receiving a service registration message for registering a subscriber for a desired communication service to the subscriber a given quota of usable Garunikationseinhei- th in an allocation message available and reduces the available charge credit VG of the subscriber to Dieje ⁇ nigen fees incurred for the provided communication units KE.
• the charge management server is reduced after receiving a billing message to the billing of charges for a running to a subscriber communications service, the actual charge credit TG of the partial transferee by those charges, the reduction units for the consumed during the execution of the communication service Kommunikati ⁇ KE attack.
• the toll management server after receiving the billing message billing message for a communication service carried out for a subscriber, increases the available charge credit VG of the subscriber by those charges which are for a difference between the communications provided for the communication service ⁇ tion units and incurred during the execution of the communication service communication units incurred.
• the charge management server after receiving a billing message to the billing of GebüH ⁇ ren for a running to a subscriber communication onsdienst the subscriber in an allocation message, a new quota of usable communication units available and reduces the available charge credit VG of the subscriber those fees that apply to the communication units made available.
• the charge management server sends an allocation message for allocating a specific quota of consumable communication units to the access network server from which the charge management server has received a service login message.
• the fee management server receives the service registration messages and the charging billing messages respectively from one or more access network servers of different access networks.
• the charge management server sends the Zuwei ⁇ sungsnachfar and the callback messages respectively to one or more access network servers of different access networks.
• the access networks are preferably each formed by a mobile radio network ⁇ .
• the mobile networks are preferably a 3GPP network, a WLAN network or a WiMax network.
• the communication units KE are formed by data volume units which indicate a quantity of transferable data.
• the communication units KE are formed by time-duration units which specify a time duration of a communication connection.
• the actual charge credit TG and the available charge credit VG of a subscriber are initialized to an initial value after payment of a charge amount by the subscriber.
• the invention further provides a charge management server for managing subscriber fees, the charge management server upon receipt of a billing message from an access network server for billing charges for a desired by a subscriber communication service a callback message to the recall of already ren for a ande ⁇ communication service allocated communication units KE sends , the subscriber is, if an available charge credit VG part ⁇ taker lower and an actual charge credit TG higher than a specified in the billing message for the desired communication service fee amount.
• FIG. 1 shows a communication system with a charge management server according to the invention, which has a plurality of access networks;
• FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention for assigning communication units
• FIG. 3 shows a diagram for explaining the mode of operation of the method according to the invention for assigning communication units by means of an example
• FIG. 4 shows a table for displaying a charge credit list for different subscribers managed by a charge management server according to the invention.
• the communication system 1 shows a communication system 1 is shown, in which a subscriber maintains gear networks 2 different parallel via a mobile terminal 3 bi-directional communication links to To ⁇ .
• the communication system 1 has three access networks 4A, 4B, 4C, each having an access network server.
• the first access network 4A is a 3GPP network, for example a UMTS or GSM access network.
• the second access network 4B is a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) and the third access network 4C is a WiMax (World Wide Interoperability for Microwave Access) network.
• the transit network server to ⁇ access networks 4A, 4B, 4C are respectively connected to a charge management server 6 via a data connection 5A, 5B, 5C.
• the charge management server 6 manages the charge credits of a plurality of subscribers 2.
• the charge management server 6 is preferably via a data line 7 to a SIP server (Session Initiation Protocol) 8 and via a data line 9 to a download server 10 connected.
• the SIP server 8 is used for instant messaging or voice over IP.
• the download server 10 is for downloading data by the subscriber.
• the SIP server 8 and the download server 10 exchange billing data with the charge management server 6.
• the charge credits are managed by a plurality of subscribers.
• the charge management server 6 assigns communication units KE to the various access network servers of the access networks 4A, 4B, 4C depending on the charge credit of the respective subscriber.
• FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention for allocating communication units KE for different access network servers by the fee management server 6 as a function of a charge credit of a subscriber.
• step S1 After a start step S0, the charge credit of the subscriber is first initialized in step S1.
• the charge credit of a subscriber consists of a tuple which comprises two values, namely an actual charge credit TG of the subscriber and a currently available charge credit VG of the subscriber.
• the available credit VG is a Ge ⁇ fees credits for unassigned communication units KE.
• G is the fee per communication unit KE, ki. the allocated quota of communication units KE for the respective communication service,
• N the number of communication services for the communication units KE are assigned represent.
• the available charge credit VG is always less than or equal to the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber.
• a user receives a fee by paying a fee to the service provider or provider, for example 25 € for 25 charge units.
• an access code on a prepaid card is freububbled and the corresponding amount is credited to the subscriber after receipt of the access code by the provider.
• the actual charge credit TG or the available charge credit VG of the subscriber is initially initialized to the same value in a step Sl.
• the communication units KE are time units which indicate a period of a communication connection, or data volume units which specify a quantity of transferable data.
• a communication unit KE is one minute a Listeverbin ⁇ dung or the communication unit KE for example consists of one megabyte of transferable or downloadable data.
• the amount of communication units KE made available in the quota K is subtracted from the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber.
• the available charge credit VG of the subscriber is updated in step S4.
• the available charge credit VG of the subscriber is reduced by those fees that are incurred for the communication units KE provided:
• the fee management server 6 checks in step S5 whether it has received a billing message from an access network server of the access network 4.
• the GebüH ⁇ renabmonysnachricht includes a charge amount to ⁇ From statement of fees for the executed communication ⁇ service.
• the charge management server 6 checks in step S6 whether the available credit VG participant for lot • ⁇ derten fee amount is sufficient.
• vKE represents the communication units KE consumed in the execution of the communication service. Furthermore, the available charge credit VG is increased subscriber by those charges after receiving the billing message, the cation units for a difference between the advance made for the communication service available communi- incurred KE and really during the execution of the communication service consumed Medunikationseinhei ⁇ th KE:
• VG: VG + (K • KE - v • KE).
• step S6 If it is determined in step S6 that the subscriber's currently available charge credit VG is not sufficient to cover the amount required in the billing message, then in step S8 in the charge management server 6 it is checked whether at least the subscriber's actual charge credit TG is higher than the value specified in the billing message for the desired communication service Ge ⁇ fees amount. If this is the case, 6 sends the Gebagitenverwal ⁇ management server a callback message to at least one ac- cess network server of an access network 4 to the recall of already made available communication units KE in step S9.
• step S10 the actual charge credit TG and the available charge credit of the subscriber VG are then updated in accordance with the number of communication units KE that can still be credited.
• step S8 If it is determined in step S8 that the actual charge credit TG is not enough of the subscriber, ERS to the required in the charge accounting message amount ⁇ cover is made at step Sil error handling.
• step S12 the charge management server 6 checks whether the actual charge credit TG is greater than zero and can be performed with even so ⁇ communication services. Is the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber greater as zero, the process returns to step S2, that is, the charge management server 6 waits for the next service notification message of the subscriber. Conversely, if the charge completely depleted ⁇ credits TG of the subscriber, the process ends in step S13.
• the charge management server 6 can automatically provide the subscriber in an allocation message, a new quota of usable communication units KE available and reduce the available charge credit VG accordingly after receiving the billing message by an access ⁇ network server for billing charges for an operation performed by a subscriber communication service.
• FIG. 3 shows a charge management server 6 or PACV (Prepaid Accounting Charging Server) which receives messages from three different access network servers or ACS servers (accounting charging source), which are provided, for example, for different access networks.
• PACV Prepaid Accounting Charging Server
• ACS servers accounting charging source
• a subscriber simultaneously communicates in parallel via three different links, for example a UMTS link, a WLAN link and a WiMax link.
• the subscriber's charge credit is initialized by paying a corresponding amount to a starting value of (25,25); H. the actual credit TG and the available credit VG of the participant is 25 at the beginning.
• the toll management server 6 receives from the access network server ACS1 a service logon message (INIT) for logging the subscriber on for a desired communication service, for example a telephone call.
• the fee rengessserver 6 provides a certain quota K of consumable communication units KE the access network server of the access network ACSl in an assignment message.
• the access network server ACSl receives ten time units as communication units KE indicating a ten minute period for a telephone communication connection, ie, the subscriber is initially able to telephone for ten minutes via the access network 4A.
• the available charge credit VG of the subscriber is reduced by those charges that are incurred for the provided communication units KE. In the example chosen, a fee per minute is charged.
• the available charge credit is accordingly reduced from 25 and 10 units to 15.
• the access network server sends the ACSL Ge ⁇ fees management server 6 a charge accounting message indicating the resources actually used or communication units KE.
• the subscriber has dialed eight minutes of the provided ten minutes.
• the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber is reduced by the fees charged for the communication units consumed during the execution of the communication service, ie by eight units, so that the actual charge credit TG is reduced from 25 to 17.
• the difference between the recorded for the communication service available communication ⁇ units KE and the actually consumed during the execution of the communication service communication units KE is the available charge credit VG credited to the subscriber's available credit VG ie the subscriber increases from 15 to on 17th
• the charge management server 6 provides after receiving the billing message to the time point t2 ⁇ the subscriber in an allocation message automatically a new quota of usable communication ⁇ units. In the illustrated example, the subscriber is given the opportunity to resume a telephone conversation of ten minutes. The available charge credit The participant's VG is accordingly reduced by ten units to seven.
• the user logs on in a second access network 4B via the access network server ACS2.
• the ACS
• the fee management server 6 granted in the example shown a quota or a volume of 5 MB for this communication service, ie the communication units KE consist of data volume units, which provide a set of transferable data specify. In the example chosen, a charging unit is equal to 1 MB of transferable data, so the subscriber's available credit VG is reduced from 7 to 2.
• the subscriber now wants to download a content data element, for example a ringtone or a game, from the download server 10, this data content costing five charging units.
• the server belonging to the download server ACS3 sends a corresponding Gebüh ⁇ renabrotesnachricht to the fee management server 6.
• the fee management server 6 For the desired download incurred five fee units.
• the participant's available credit VG is no longer sufficient for this download. In a conventional charge management server, this would result in an error message and the subscriber could not download the desired data content.
• a callback message is sent by the charge management server 6 to the server ACS1 at the time ts (quota recall).
• a callback message sends the fee Enver ⁇ waltungsserver always then made if an available charge credit VG of a subscriber is less than one in the billing message for a desired communication ⁇ service specified charge amount and simultaneously the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber higher than the specified fee amount.
• recall message (quota_recall) of the charge management server 6 retrieves a previously granted rate or a frame already available ⁇ tes quota of communication units KE wholly or partially returned from the respective server.
• ACSl has received the callback message from the toll management server 6, it offsets the resources already consumed by it by sending a billing message back to the charge management server 6.
• the server consumed four minutes from ACSl of ten minutes provided at time t2.
• the actual charge credit of the subscriber is reduced by four units from 17 to 13 corresponding to the ⁇ .
• the remaining six minutes will be credited to the participant's available credit VG, increasing the available credit of the subscriber VG from 2 to 8.
• the server ACSL is provided as a new quota available a new volume of three minutes, so the available Gebagitengutha ⁇ is ben VG reduced by three units of 8 on the 5th
• the quota provided in each case preferably depends on the amount of the actual fee credit TG still available.
• the larger the charge credit TG still available the larger the contingent K available to communication units KE can be.
• the available credit VG of the subscriber is increased to five units and is thus sufficient for the desired data download.
• the ACS server 3 is therefore the time t 6, a Okay message which indicates to the server 3 to ⁇ that the download can be performed now.
• the actual charge credit TG and the available charge credit VG of the subscriber will each be reduced by five.
• the ACS Server 1 transmits in the selected example, the ACS Server 1, a billing message to the charge management server ⁇ 6 for the consumed communication units KE.
• a conversation lasting three minutes is billed, which has a value of three fees Ge ⁇ .
• the participant's actual charge credit TG will be reduced accordingly by three units.
• the ver ⁇ -availability credit VG remains at the value zero since the tatsumble ⁇ Lich resources consumed previously at time t corresponding to 5 conces- secured communication units.
• the access network server ACS1 can now no new quota or no new contingent of communication units KE are assigned, since the available charge credit VG of the subscriber is now zero. In a conventional charge management server 6, this may result in an error message because there is no more available charge balance and the connection to the first access network 4A would be terminated.
• a further recall message (quota recall) is sent to the ACS2 server at the time ts.
• the server ACS2 sends a billing message to the charge management server 6, the billing message containing fees for the resources actually consumed amounting to 1 MB.
• the actual charge credit TG of the subscriber is accordingly reduced from 5 to 4 and the unused charges are credited to the available credit VG.
• the server ACS2 Due to the low fee level, the server ACS2 is now provided with a relatively small contingent of 1 MB corresponding to a charging unit, which reduces the available credit by 1.
• the server ACSl a quota of three minutes is provided corresponding to three charging units, whereby the available credit VG drops to zero. This makes it possible in the example shown, to maintain the communication connection with both access networks 4A, 4B and with the two servers ACS1, ACS2.
• Figure 4 shows an example of a management server by the Gebtalkenverwal ⁇ 6 managed subscriber fees list. For each mobile subscriber or for each subscriber mobile radio number T 1 , a tuple of two values, namely an actual charge credit TG and a currently available charge amount ⁇ have managed VG.
• the transmission of the various messages takes place according to a predetermined data transmission protocol, for example according to the Diameter protocol.
• a predetermined data transmission protocol for example according to the Diameter protocol.
• the fee management ⁇ server 6 can actively send messages on its own.
• the inventive method is suitable for the management of costs related to all communication systems where charges for multiple parallel-connected communication links anfal ⁇ len and are updated simultaneously. This is insbeson ⁇ the case in particular multi-access mobile radio systems or in cases where the network access and application or communication services separately toll technically billed ⁇ to.

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• 2006
  • 2006-04-26 DE DE102006019465A patent/DE102006019465B4/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-03-12 WO PCT/EP2007/052300 patent/WO2007124974A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2007-03-12 US US12/226,680 patent/US20090094142A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-03-12 EP EP07726806A patent/EP2011325A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-03-12 CN CN2007800147131A patent/CN101449570B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
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