FI119793B - Method and system of the communication system and suitable SIM card - Google Patents

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND SUITABLE SIM CARD

The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 in a communication system.

The invention also relates to a system and a SIM card.

The object of the invention is to enable the owner of the subscription to determine from which numbers incoming calls he / she will pay and to allow Selected Calls to be charged to the recipient.

In the prior art, the number 10 charged for calls from the first subscription may be changed, for example, by a change to the IN program or its tables. In this case, all calls from the first subscription are routed to the second subscription while the change is in effect.

U.S. Patent No. 6,788,927 to Telecommunication Systems discloses a method for arranging a payment to a financing party for calls with a wireless subscriber. Meth-15 system, is provided a telecommunications call service, which controls the entering and leaving the mat kapuheluveloitukset billing to pay with the other party when the party to pay the call to determine the number. Method, the source end of the telephone exchange to identify a particular prepaid wireless subscriber and the other party's phone number, comprising a pair of integrated routes the call to the service (integra-ted to 20 in the service control point ISCP) funded under the call processing a payment service function. ISCP validity check function for a given wireless subscriber and a second pair comprising a number corresponding to the number and the wireless call control authority and to ensure the log to determine eligible for payment method for paying party processor can not complete the call setup or not. 25 Intelligent network service checks are performed without the establishment of an interactive communication procedure and all billing at the moment the call is made is performed without any other network communication or external billing solutions.

European Patent Application EP 1221 807 A2 discloses transparent billing of multiple directory numbers in wireless telephone systems. Preferably, the system and method for transmitting and receiving calls using a second wireless billing number, or a line assigned to a single wireless telephone, do not require changes in the air interface or message protocol between the MSC and the wireless telephone. The second line is provisioned in HLR. When the cordless phone registers with the VLR, the HLR 5 assigns another billing number.

When making a call, the user indicates that another line or number is billed by adding a predefined set of numbers or characters to the called telephone number. The system recognizes the numbers added and creates corresponding billing records for another number. When a call is received in the second billing number, or the like Linjala 10-la, the system recognizes that the call is directed to another laskutusnumerolle and more pre-defined and added characters in the displayed phone number of the calling party. The user can identify from the inserted characters that the call has been received by another billing number or line.

In addition, at the time of filing this application, secret patent application FI2004161115 discloses a method for performing a number conversion service. According to the method, the number conversion is performed as follows. Preferably, the A-number change service of the mobile station interface is implemented as a time control service. Thus, when making a call from a mobile phone, the Company's Business Number (e.g., 010, 09, etc.) can be set to an A number at a desired time. Correspondingly, during a person's leisure time, for example, it is possible not to change the A-number, whereby the person's mobile number is displayed as an A-number. This application is related to the extension of the A-number change service, which allows the service user to flexibly use his mobile phone during working and leisure hours, without interfering with a person's telephone numbering between work and leisure, and any A-number based services such as SMS Balances leisure without the use of the * 77 * prefix to prevent A-number changes per call. However, the service described can in principle be used to change the A number of a cellular telephone or other telephone subscription if desired. The service also includes a web interface for the customer to manage their change schedules and other service data over the Internet.

A problem with the prior art is that changing the billing number, for example, by changing the IN program or its tables, is a very static operation. Changing the IN-3 program or its tables is a multifunctional task whereby it is virtually impossible to give the user control of the interface, although technically possible. Change is costly and laborious for individual calls back and forth and virtually prevents the "pay-to-pay" home-to-lap bridge for parents when parents want to limit the cost of their children's out-of-home calls. Implementing a "payee to pay" number to an arbitrary number is cumbersome and uneconomic. The IN and IP connectivity concept has the potential to provide many additional services that are not available according to the prior art if the employer owns the subscription.

The method according to the invention is based on providing a telephone number which does not have an actual subscription, but which acts as a contact point for the user and is owned by the said user. This will provide the user with a billing point where the user can deploy additional services at their own expense, regardless of who owns the physical telephone subscription in use. The IN and IP service interconnection concept 15 employs a payment conversion where the subscriber can transfer the billing of calls made from numbers of his choice. The idea is that this virtual interface is for billing purposes only and provides the customer with access to the services described in the IN and IP services. It is therefore a matter of setting up a billing point for a customer, even if they do not have their own subscription.

More specifically, the method according to the invention is characterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. The system according to the invention, in turn, is characterized by what is shown in the characterizing part of claim 9 and the SIM card according to the invention is characterized by what is shown in the characterizing part of claim 18.

The invention provides the following advantages.

The method according to the invention provides the user with a simple and economical method of implementing a "recipient pays" number to an arbitrary number. The owner of the subscription can determine where to pay for incoming calls. In practice, this allows for a "pay-as-you-pay" home call from children to parents when parents want to limit the cost of their children's out-of-home calls.

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Further, the method according to the invention has at least the following preferred embodiments.

It is possible to receive from the subscriber owner a specification of the numbers from which calls are routed to his subscription. Billing can be controlled at any time, 5 or possibly when the balance is reached. The assignment can be made one at a time or the owner of the subscriber can define it in the style of + 3589123 *, whereby all calls made from the previous space are billed to the subscriber who owns the subscription. Changes can be implemented very quickly as self-provisioning, eliminating the need for operator employees to participate in the changes. Such a function has 10 uses, for example, in a family-friendly service where calls between family members are cheaper than other calls, and where the calls made by children to the home can be billed from the recipient's connection either always or when the balance is reached.

Number conversion can be done using a server whose database can be configured via web access.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method according to the invention wherein subscriber A always pays for incoming calls from at least one particular B subscriber.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of one method according to the invention in one possible system configuration.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a method according to the invention in which a subscriber A pays a call from a particular B subscriber if the A subscriber's credit limit is exceeded.

In the methods shown in the figures, billing control uses both A and 25 B subscriber identifiers and possibly balance information. In these, billing control can be easily changed in real time. This is based on the fact that billing is routed dynamically based on subscriber A and B information, whereas previously the rules are firmly programmed in the IN system. The methods shown in the figures allow the establishment of a toll-free number on any number. Exceeding the A-subscriber's credit line 30 may activate the free subscriber for calls made to certain numbers or to certain numbers. Service activation can be performed in response to billing system status information. A subscriber can also be defined as a number space, e.g. + 3589123 *, whereby calls from this number space are routed to the recipient. The management is done using, for example, a web interface.

5, the A subscriber always pays for incoming calls from certain B subscribers.

In the method of Figure 1, the following steps are performed:

Steps 101 to 103 of the method are performed to establish a call and direct the call through the IN system to the payment control system.

101) Receiving a normal call from subscriber A to subscriber B number in the access network. This gives the A and B subscriber numbers as information.

102) In response to the received call, unique signaling of the A and B subscribers is transmitted or received from the access network to the IN system.

103) In response to the unique signaling of subscriber A and subscriber, a billing control inquiry is sent or received from the IN system to the payment control system.

Steps 104 to 106 of the method are performed when the B subscriber is configured to pay for the A subscriber's call. In other words, the A-subscriber is defined in the payment agreement base. Steps 104 to 106 of the method are performed to control the call charge to the B subscriber.

(104) In response to a billing control inquiry, a unique subscriber B signaling is sent or received as payer information from the payment control system if a payment agreement is specified in the payment control database.

105) In response to the B-subscriber's unique signaling from the IN system, the B-subscriber number is sent or received as billing information to the access network.

106) In response to the received B-subscriber number from the access network, the B-25 subscriber's subscription is charged and the call is connected.

Steps 104 to 106 may be combined in different ways. For example, billing information can be exported directly from an IN or payment control system to a billing system according to network implementation.

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Steps 107 through 109 of the method are performed when the B subscriber is not configured to pay for the A subscriber's call. In other words, the A-subscriber is not defined in the payment agreement base. Steps 107-109 of the method are performed to control the call charge normally to the A-subscriber.

107) In response to a billing control inquiry, a unique subscriber signaling is sent or received as a payer from the payment control system, if no payment agreement is defined in the payment control database.

108) In response to the A-subscriber's unique signaling from the IN system, the A-subscriber number is sent or received as billing information to the access network.

109) In response to the received A-subscriber number, the A-subscriber's subscription is charged from the access network and the call is connected.

The system configuration according to Fig. 2 comprises the following elements: User Database Database 20, Customer Interface 21, Payment Control Database 22, Payment Control System 23, IN System 24, Access Network 25 and 1 Subscription System 15 26.

In the system configuration of Figure 2, the following method can be implemented: 201) Setting the basic interface settings in the user database 20. The basic interface settings are the interface usage settings in a normal use case. In addition, operator configuration data such as 20 client-controllable numbers are placed in the user database; the numbers to which the billing may be assigned; numbers whose billing can be changed.

202) Sending basic settings and configuration information to the client interface 21 for presentation.

203) Receiving the use of the client 203a from the interface 21 to the user database 20 Providing a customization of 25 clients including the settings made by the client. In addition, customer settings are received from the client interface 203b 21 to the payment control database 22 comprising A-numbers to be paid and payment conditions such as the credit line. In addition, if necessary, the matters required by the 203c settings are communicated to the billing system 26, which maintains the credit line status.

204) Receiving an incoming call in the access network 25, identified by an A-subscriber identifier and a B-subscriber identifier.

205) Sending 24 unique A and B subscriber signaling to the IN system.

206) In response to the received subscriber identity signaling, a billing inquiry identifying the A subscriber and the B subscriber is sent or received by the payment control system 23.

(207) In response to a billing inquiry, a unique inquiry requesting subscriber A and subscriber 22 is sent or received from a payment control system 23 to a payment control database 22.

(208) In response to a payment request, a billing identifier or a unique identifier for billing is sent from the payment control database 22, as well as any balance request.

(209) In response to a balance request request received from the payment control database 22, a balance request from the payment control system 23 is sent to the billing system 1 e 26.

(210) In response to the Balance Inquiry, a response is sent to the payment control system 23 whether the subscription balance is below or above a specified limit.

211) Sending the billable subscription identifier 20 based on the billing subscription identifier received from the payment control database 22 or its identification information (step 208) and the balance request response received from the billing system (step 210) to the IN system 24.

212) In response to the billable subscription identifier received from the payment control system 23, the access network 25 is directed to connect the call based on the subscriber identifiers 213) Sending the call billing information to the billing system 26 identified by the subscriber identifier.

In the method of Figure 3, subscriber B pays for a call from a particular subscriber A if the A subscriber's credit limit is exceeded. Subscriber A is defined in the payment agreement base.

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In the method of Figure 3, the following steps are performed.

The steps 301 to 304 of the method are performed to establish a call and direct the call through the IN system to the payment control system, as well as to determine whether the A subscriber has exceeded the credit limit and, at the same time, to determine the paying subscriber.

301) Receiving a normal call from subscriber A to subscriber number B in the access network. This gives the A and B subscriber numbers as information.

302) In response to the received call, unique signaling of the A and B subscribers is transmitted or received from the network to the IN system.

303) In response to the unique signaling of subscriber A and subscriber, a billing control inquiry is transmitted or received from the IN system.

304) In response to a billing control request, a query is sent or received to the billing system about the status of the A-subscriber's credit line.

Steps 305 to 308 of the method are performed when the A-subscriber balance limit is exceeded. In other words, subscriber B pays for subscriber A's call when subscriber A's credit limit is exceeded.

305) In response to a inquiry about the status of the credit line from the billing system, information is sent or received to the payment control system that the A-subscriber's credit line has been exceeded.

306) In response to information that the A-subscriber's credit limit is exceeded, a unique subscriber signaling is sent or received as a payer information from the payment control system.

307) In response to the B-subscriber's unique signaling from the IN system, the B-subscriber number is transmitted or received as billing information to the access network.

308) In response to the received B-subscriber number, the B-subscriber is charged from the access network and the call is connected.

Steps 305 to 309 may be combined in different ways. For example, billing information can be exported directly from an IN or payment control system to a billing system according to network implementation.

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Steps 309-312 of the method are performed when the A-subscriber's credit limit is not exceeded and the A-subscriber pays for his or her own call.

(309) In response to a request from a billing system for the status of the balance limit, information is sent or received by the payment control system indicating that the A subscriber's balance remains.

310) In response to information that the A-subscriber's balance is left, the A-subscriber's unique signaling is sent or received as payer information from the payment control system.

311) In response to the A-subscriber's unique signaling from the IN system, the A-subscriber number is sent or received as billing information to the access network.

312) In response to the received A-subscriber number, the A-10 subscriber's subscription is charged from the access network and the call is connected.

Relationship with future networks. An example implementation according to the figures is made for the current telecommunications network and the IN system. The method is also directly applicable to other network solutions such as SMS / MMS networks and IP-based networks such as SIP. In the case of SIP, there is talk of an A user and a B-15 user at the subscriber location. The IN functionality can be implemented in SIP Proxy, Parlay device or the like. In the case of SMS, the billing inquiry can be implemented, for example, via an SMS gateway to which the billing information is returned.

The terminal used in the method according to the invention can be any terminal of a communication system, although at its most advantageous the method operates with various devices having telephone functionality.

A predetermined service trigger is most advantageously placed in the IN system of the intelligent network, but the method also works elsewhere in the telecommunications network, such as IP networks.

In the method according to the invention, another subscription defined in the billing system 25 may be set in place of or in addition to the subscription according to the destination address of the connection. The specified billable subscription does not need to have a physical subscription.

It is advantageous for the devices carrying out the method according to the invention to be computer readable and to construct a computer program product therefrom.

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In applying the method of the invention, it is preferable to use a SIM card, which comprises means for assigning to the communication system at least one source and destination address pair that causes a predetermined service trigger. The SIM card is advantageously implemented with STK technology.

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Claims (15)

A method in a communication system, the method of: - receiving (101) a call request, - establishing (102, 106) a connection between two terminals in response to the call request, identifying the first address as the source address and the second address as the destination address; at least one source and destination address pair that causes a predetermined service trigger, and - during connection establishment, each specified source and 10 destination address pair is routed (105) to a specified address other than the source payload, characterized in that: (306) pay only if the billing balance of the source address is greater than a predetermined threshold. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the specified address 15 other than the source address is a destination address. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection is a telephone connection. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the source address is A subscriber identity and the destination address is B subscriber identity. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by receiving (203) from another specified address a message directing to associate the subscriber with the first address of the other specified subscriber's subscriber to the subscriber taking at least one conversation connection. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in response to a service trigger according to the address pair, a pay subscription check (103) for a first address subscription is directed, resulting in (104) signaling indicating a paying subscription to a specified subscription other than a first subscriber interface, and in response to signaling indicative of a paying subscription, allocating (105 -106) a subscriber-to-subscriber billing site) to another specified subscriber. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the service trigger is performed (103) on the telephone intelligent network IN. A communication system comprising: - means for receiving a call request (101), means for establishing (102, 106) a connection between two terminals in response to a call request comprising means for identifying a first address as a call source address and means for identifying a second address. determining (203) at least one source and destination address pair that causes a predetermined service trigger in the communication system, and means for controlling (105) a specified address other than the source address at each connection source and destination address in connection with establishing the connection 20, characterized in that it comprises means for controlling (306) the non-source address to be a payer only if the billing balance of the source address is greater than a predetermined threshold. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the specified address other than the source address is a destination address. System according to one of Claims 8 to 9, characterized in that the connection is a telephone connection. System according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the source address is A subscriber identity and the destination address is B subscriber identity. A system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving a message from another specified address, which message 5 directs to connect another subscriber's subscriber interface to the first address of the first address as a payer. A system according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized by: - means for directing a check of a paying subscription 10 for a first address interface in response to a service trigger for an address pair, means for checking a paying subscription for a first address interface controlling means for receiving (104) a signaling as a result of a check indicating a paying subscription to a specified subscription other than a first subscriber 15 subscription, and means for allocating (105-106) inter-subscriber call billing to the other specified subscription in response to the paying subscriber signaling. A system according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that it comprises means for performing a service trigger (103) on the telephone intelligent network IN. A computer program, characterized in that it comprises computer code program means arranged to perform all the steps of any of the methods defined in claims 1-7 when executing said program on a computer.