GB2332336A

GB2332336A - Traffic monitoring and billing in a communication system

Info

Publication number: GB2332336A
Application number: GB9726287A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Quinton Bridle; David John Chater-Lea
Original assignee: Motorola Ltd
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions UK Ltd
Priority date: 1997-12-13
Filing date: 1997-12-13
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-12-13
Also published as: GB2332336B; GB2332336A9; GB9726287D0

Abstract

A communication system having a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource is provided. The communication system includes a traffic monitoring function (84) for monitoring communications activity on the at least one communication resource, operably coupled to a billing function (81) for billing the communication unit at a rate according to the level of communications activity on the at least one communication resource.

Description

1 2332336 COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION UNIT AND METHOD OF OPERATION

THEREOF Fleld of the hmntion This invention relates to communication systems. The invention is applicable to, but not limited to methods of regulating communications traffic on a communications system by adaptive control of billing rates for 10 air-time or line rental used.

Baund of the In radio communication systems there are often a number of communication resources, for example frequencies, time periods, coding schemes, that are available for allocating to communication system user's to enable the users to set up a communication link. In two-way radio communications systems, communication between two radios can either be via a trunking system, where a number of radio users share the existing communication resource and communicate via base stations or repeater stations, or via conventional operation directly between two users. In either of these scenarios, group call communications can exist where users communicate to a number of other users in a particular commimication group.

In mobile trunked radio communication systems, the logging of voice communications is carried out at a central location of the system, for example a central controller or primary base station. A central location is the optimal position for performing the logging function as all voiceldata communi cations pass through such a position. An example of the necessity for logging voice commimications is found in Public Safety Systems where a record of say, a police operation is logged. The information stored in such a process includes the step by step record of actual voice communication including what information was provided, at what time, who was involved, etc.

2 Furthermore, in such communication systems, the registration of used talk time for a subscriber radio leads to the opportunity for the service provider to bill accordin7g to the resource usage within the system. In a Global System Mobile (GSM) cellular communication system, a record of phone call times is logged at the central station, as communications pass through the central station, which is subsequently used for billing purposes. In trunked communication systems tariffing for both mobile and portable transmissions is usually dependent upon the time of day that calls are made. This is also the situation with fixed and mobile telephone networks. In this case, a premium rate is charged for calls that are made during "peak" hours, with lesser rates during quieter periods such as week-ends.

Having a variable charging rate helps to regulate the amount of communications traffic on the system at any one time. Consequently, call rates based on the time of day enables the network operator to control the system loading at times when users are most likely to make calls i.e. peak hours, can be controlled by increasing the charging rate for calls made at these times relative to non-peak hours. In addition, m. qximilm revenue can be obtained from users who are largely charge- rate insensitive and therefore make their calls during peak hours.

However call charges based on the time of day has drawbacks. Price sensitive users, for example non-business users, don't make calls at peak hours because of the high cost. The loading on the system is also unpredictable, both temporally and spatially. Therefore even at peak hours the system may be lightly loaded in some areas and busy in others. Likewise, even in 'off-peak' hours, local circumstances can lead to high traffic loading locally, for example in traffic jams, sports events, etc. This is undesirable to the network operator as users quickly become unhappy with the service, if they are unable to make calls at preferred times due to blocked calls.

This invention seeks to provide a communication system, a communications unit for use in the communication system and methods of operating the communication system and communications unit which mitigates at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.

3 - Singwam of the According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a communication system. The communication system includes a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource. The communication system having a traffic monitoring function for monitoring communications activity on the at least one communication resource, and a billing function operably coupled to the traffic monitoring function for billing the communication unit according to the commilni cations activity of the communication unit on the at least one communication resource.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the communications system further includes a logger operably coupled to the traffic monitoring function for recording usage information of the at least one communication resource by a communication unit and a transmitter function operably coupled to the billing fimction for transmission of information to the communi cations unit, to allow subsequent displaying of the current bidling rate to a commilni cation unit user.

Preferably the billing rate is dynamically adjusted according to the commt, ni cations activity on the at least one communication resource. The communications system may be a mobile telephony system, mobile radio system, data communications system, telemetry system or fixed telecornmuni cations system. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the billing rate further includes a tariffing structure of the user and may be transmitted to the communication unit or is located in a code plug or smart card of the communication unit. Preferably data can be stored in the communication unit and transmission of the data delayed until the billing rate drops below a predetermined threshold.

In this manner, the usage made of the available communications by the commimi cations unit can be monitored, and subsequently charged for by the communication system provider according to the communications activity on the communications system. Having variable billing rates according to communications activity allows the users with lower priority 4 information to be transmitted to choose to transmit when the rates are low, thereby freeing up valuable communication resource during busy periods.

In a second aspect of the present invention a communications unit for use in a communication system, is provided. The communications unit includes a receiver for receiving billing information and a display for displaying the received billing information to a communication unit user.

Preferably, the billing information received by the communications unit includes a tarfffing structure of the user and is stored in a code plug or smart card of the communication unit. A memory element is also provided for storing data so that transmission of the data can be selectively delayed until the received billing information drops below a predetermined threshold. The memory element may further store a list of communications activity of the communications unit on the at least one communications resource, the list including at least one of: other party calling ID, day, date, call start time, call duration, call end time and/or total call time, for displaying to the communication unit user. In some instances, the communications unit further comprises a transmitter to transmit the maintained list to a central billing unit for determining the billing rate of the communication unit.

In a third aspect of the present invention a method of operating a communication unit in a communication system is provided. The commilnication system includes a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource. The commilnication unit includes a receiver operably coupled to a display. The method includes the steps of receiving billing i-iJormation at the communication unit according to communications activity on the at least one communication resource and displaying current billing information of the at least one communication resource used by the communication unit.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further comprising the step of maintaining a list of time usage of the at least one communication resources by the communication unit, the maintained list including at least one of. other party calling ID, day, date, call start time, call duration, call end time and total call time, and the communication unit transmitting the maintained list to a central billing unit for determining a communication bill for the communication unit.

Preferably, the communication unit further comprises a transmitter operably coupled to a memory element, for storing data to be transmitted from the communication unit, delaying transmission of data for transmission and transmitting the stored data when the received billing information drops below a predetermined threshold.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention a method of operating a communication system is provided. The communication system includes a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource. The method includes the steps of monitoring communications activity on the at least one communication resource, recording usage information of the at least one communication resource by a communication unit and billing the communication unit according to the communi cations activity of the communication unit on the at least one communication resource.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further includes the step of transmitting a current billing rate to a communi cations unit to inform a communication unit user, where the billing rate is dynamically adjusted according to the communications activity on the at least one communication resource. The communications system may be at least one of the following. mobile telephony system, mobile radio system, data commu ni cations system, telemetry system, fixed telecommuni cations system.

Preferably, the billing rate further includes a tariffing structure of the user. A further preferred feature of the present invention is that data is stored in the communication unit and transmission of the data is delayed until the billing rate drops below a predetermined threshold.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, With reference to the drawing.

6 Brief Dj&ion of the Drawings FIG. 1 shows a radio communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram of information transferral on a radio cornrniini cation system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a radio unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4a is a flow chart showing a method of operating the communications system.

FIG. 4b is a flow chart showing a method of operating a communications unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Dgscz:Wtion of the Drawings Referring first to FIG. 1, a radio communications system is shown.

Communications are typically performed via a communications infrastructure 20 between two remote mobilelportable users or alternatively via group calls where users communicate to a number of other users in a particular communication group, as highlighted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows communication group 14 containing portable radio units 10, 12 and 16 communicating to portable radio unit 18 via a communications infrastructure 20. It should be noted that in such systems it is often possible for radio units to communicate directly with each other without the communication having to go via the communications infrastructure 20. Portable radio unit 10 has entered into communi cation on a frequency resource with portable radio unit 12, whilst portable radio unit 16 has entered into a direct communication with fixed portable radio unit 18.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a timing diagram is shown according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The preferred implementation is with regard to the Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) system. However, it 7 is within the contemplation of the invention that any other communication system would benefit from the inventive concept contained herein.

The. multi-frame cture 40 of the TETRA communications system comprises eighteen frames, seventeen of which are allocated for traffic use, with the eighteenth frame 60 allocated for signalling purposes. The eighteenth frame is a control frame and one of the time slots in that frame is a communication linearisation channel (CLCH) slot for performing say, a phase and amplitude training sequence. Each slot contains information about the slot number and frame number as well as other information. The communication infrastructure 20 of FIG. 1 controls and updates this information to maintain synchronisation with the remote radio stations.

The traffic frames, for example frame seventeen 42, include four time slots 44, 467 48, 50, to facilitate four mission periods for four users. Each traffic slot is divided into a twenty bit period for linearisation and rise time 52, two periods of two hundred and twenty four bits for data transmissions 54, 58, separated by a twenty four bit synchronisation period 56. A sixteen bit ramp down period 59 is allocated to ramp down the transmitter output power gradually. An eighteenth frame 60 comprises a number of signalling slots termed Slow Associated Control Channels (SACCH) 64, 66, 68, 70, for transmitting signalling information. One of the SACCH channel is used for broadcast purposes in each transmission of the eighteenth frame 60. The chosen SACCH slot for use as a Broadcast Synchronisation Channel (BSCH) is alternated for each transmission.

Hence, the broadcast channel is always transmitted in each frame of a multiframe, i.e. once every 1.02 seconds. Part of the information transmitted in the BSCH is called cell service level and can have four possible values: unknown, low, medium and high. The value gives an indication of the traffic loading in a cell and is intended to be used by the mobile radios during cell re-selection. However, this invention proposes to use this information to form the basis of a dynamic billing system, whereby the cost of a call is related to the current call service level. The cell service level is used in order to display the current call billing rate to the user.

It is within the contemplation of the invention that each 35mobilelportable radio unit may also monitor at least one time factor of a 8 communication, such as day/date, call start time, call end time, call duration, duration of transmissions by that particular mobile/portable radio unit, total duratioii. and/or number of calls by that particular mobile/portable radio unit. This will allow the radio user to maintain a summary of the anticipated call charge the radio internal within the radio unit.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a fiinctional block diagram of a communication system of FIG. 2 is shown. Preferably the communication system monitors the tran missions of each mobile station makes on any of the communication resources. The communication system includes monitoring means 84 for monitoring the transmission activities on the radio frequencies. An antenna 83 is connected to an antenna switch 89, for transferring received signals to a receiver block 88. A second position of the antenna switch 89 connects the antenna 83 to a transmitter block 87. The monitoring means 84 is connected to the receiver block 88 and to the processor 82. The processor 82 may perform a call logger function and contains a billing function 81 and is connected to the transmitter block 87 and to a memory element 86. The memory element 86, which may include the function of the processor 82, contains a log 85 of radio frequency transmissions for each radio unit.

In the communication system, communication activity is monitored by monitoring means 84. The monitoring means 84 monitors calls and passes this information to the processor 82. The processor 82, provides a time stamp associated with the level of communi cations activity to adjust the current billing rate. The communications are then recorded with the timing information associated with each call in the list 85 in the memory element 86. This information includes the current billing rate and may include: other party calling ID, day/date, call start time, call end time, call duration, duration of transmissions by that particular mobile/portable radio unit, total duration of a number of calls by that particular mobile/portable radio unit.

It is within the contemplation of the invention that call charges may be variable during a call, or preferably set at the beginning of a communication, where it would be independent of further variations in the 9 billing rate during that call. All cornmimi cations are then billed accordingly the designated rate. The calls may be billed to the user ID of the communications unit.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the system transmits current billing information to each communication unit operating on the system. The current billing information can be a fixed monetary amount per time period, or an indication as to whether the current rate is a "cheap", "standard" or "premium" rate. Alternatively the system loading information can be combined with other information on which tariffing depends, for example low, medium or high tariff rates. These are preferably stored within the communications units in a memory element such as a codeplug, SIM card, etc. Furthermore, each communication unit has a form of display for displaying the present billing rate to the communication unit user.

In this manner, the user can then determine whether he/she wants to enter into a communication at that particular billing rate, or perhaps, if the cornmilnication is not of a high priority, wait until the billing rate drops below a particular threshold. -One example of the benefits of this variable billing rate is found in telemetry applications, where low priority data can be stored in a remote communications unit and transmitted to a central point when the billing rate is at its lowest rate, or at least below a threshold point which can be predetermined. This avoids over-use of the communication resource, during busy periods, for applications and transmissions that are not urgent. In the TETRA system, such transmission of information can be easily performed over-the-air, as described with reference to FIG. 2. In multi-site radio systems, it is preierred that each site (or cell) organises its own adaptable billing rate, according to the communications activity on that particular site.

This invention also offers the service provider to charge different rates for usage of the communication resource during different time periods or say, on week-ends. Such an opportunity to bin at different rates greatly assists the service provider in regulating and controlling the use of the resource.

It is within the contemplation of the invention that other system and radio function arrangements can be used to provide a similar adaptable billing rate function, based on the communications activity on the system. It is also within the contemplation of the invention that the service provider may provide one allocat6d tran ceiver (portable, mobile or base station) for performing the billing rate function and transmission to the communication units. It is further within the contemplation of the invention that such an adaptable billing rate finiction may be selectively enabled for certain users, so that they can better use low activity periods for their transmissions and consequently benefit from preferential rates. Such selective enablement can be performed using a wireline connection or over- the-air programming.

Although the concept and features of the present invention have been described with reference to a trunked radio system, it is noted that similar beneficial arrangements could be provided for in other communications systems, for example, mobile telephony systems, data communications system, telemetry systems, fixed telecommuni cations systems.

A method of operating the commulni cations system and/or communi cations unit, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, will now be described with reference to FIG. 4a and 4b. In the preferred embodiment, the communication system is a Terrestrial Trunked Radio Architecture (TETRA) communications system operating Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) techniques and having a number of frequency channels, with each radio frequency being divided into four timeslots. The method of operating a radio unit in a two way radio communication system includes monitoring communications activity on the communication system, as in step 100, and logging calls for each communications unit, as shown in step 102. Billing information is set according to the level of communications activity monitored on the communication system, as in step 104, and a charging function initiated for each call, and new call, at that rate, as shown in step 106. The system also stores additional call data, for example, details of the other party's calling ID, day, date, call start time, call duration, call end time, total call time. The current billing information is transmitted to each communications unit, as shown in step 108, as further described with reference to FIG. 2, 11 where it is received, as in step 110, and a determination made as to whether to enter into a.call at that rate, as shown in step 112.

The operation of ihe dynamic billing rate according to the current communications activity can be selectively enabled. Furthermore, it is within the contemplation of the invention that such enabling of these functions can be initiated either by wireline or via over-the-air transmissions.

Advantageously, the provision of a dynamic billing system enables the network operator to have much better control over the traffic loading of the system since the billing rates are related to the actual system load rather than assumptions on the current load based on the time of day. Furthermore, the billing rates are related to the actual load in each cell and not assumptions about the current load based on average loadings in a cell. Additionally, the mobile subscribers benefit from lower charges when there is a low loading in a cell and the operator benefits by maximi sing revenue when cells are busy.

In this manner, a communication system and communication unit, together with a method of operating the communication system and communication unit are provided which mitigate at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages with present communications systems.

Claims

12 Claims

1. A communicatioii system having a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource the communication system comprising: a traffic monitoring function for monitoring communications activity on the at least one communication resource; and a billing function operably coupled to the traffic monitoring function for billing a communication unit at a rate according to a level of communications activity on the at least one communication resource.

2. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter ftinction operably coupled to the billing function for transmission of a current billing information to the communi cations unit for displaying to a communication unit user.

3. A communication system according to claims 2, the communication system further comprising a logger operably coupled to the traffic monitoring function for recording usage information of the at least one communication resource by a communication unit, wherein a billing rate is dynamically adjusted according to the level of communications activity on the at least one cornminii cation resource.

4. A communication system according to claim 3, wherein the communications system is at least one of the following: mobile telephony system, mobile radio system, data communications system, telemetry system, fixed telecornmilni cations system.

5. A communication system according to any one of preceding claims 3 or 4, wherein the dynamic billing rate further includes a tariffing structure of the user.

6. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein the tariffing structure of the user is located in a code plug or smart card of the communication unit.

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7. A communication system according to any one of the preceding claimswherein data is'stored in the communication unit and transmission of the data is delayed until the billing rate drops below a predetermined threshold.

8. A comirnlini cations unit for use in a communication system according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A communications unit for use in a communication system, the communications unit comprising:

receiver for receiving billing information; and display for displaying the received billing information to a communication unit user.

10. A communications unit according to claim 9, wherein the billing information received by the communications unit includes a tarifling structure of the user.

11. A communication unit according to claim 9, further comprising a code plug or smart card for storing the tariffing structure of the user.

12. A communication unit according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, further comprising a memory element for storing data where transmission of the data is delayed until the received billing information drops below a predetermined threshold.

13. A communication unit according to claim 12, wherein the memory element further stores a list of communications activity of the communications unit on the at least one communications resource, the list including at least one of. other party calling ID, day, date, call start time, call duration, call end time, total call time.

14. A communications unit according to any one of preceding claims 9 to 13 wherein the communications unit further comprises a transmitter to 14 transmit the maintained list to a central billing unit for determining the billing rate of the communication unit.

15. A method of operating a communication unit in a communication system having a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one comirntini cation resource the communication unit having a receiver operably coupled to a display, the method comprising the steps ofreceiving billing information at the communi cation unit according to communications activity on the at least one communication resource; and displaying current billing information of the at least one communication resource used by the communication unit.

16. A method of operating a radio unit in a communication system according to claim 15, the method further comprising the step of. maintaining a list of time usage of the at least one communication resources by the communication unit, the maintained list including at least one of.. other party calling ID, day, date, call start time, call duration, call end time and total call time..

17. A method of operating a communication unit in a communication system according to claim 15 or 16, the method further comprising the step of transmitting the maintained list to a central billing unit for determining a communication bill of the communication unit.

18. A method of operating a communication unit in a communication system according to any one of preceding claims 15 to 17, wherein the communication unit further comprises a transmitter operably coupled to a memory element, the method ffirther comprising the step of30 storing data to be transmitted from the communication unit; delaying transmission of data for transmission; and transmitting the stored data when the received billing information drops below a predetermined threshold.

19. A method of operating a communication system having a plurality of communication units communicating via at least one communication resource the method comprising the steps of. monitoring communi cations activity on the at least one communication resource; recording usage information of the at least one communication resource by a communication unit; and billing the communication unit according to the communications activity of the cornrn uni cation unit on the at least one communication 10 resource.

20. A method of operating a communication system according to claim 19, the method further comprising the step of transmitting a current billing rate to a cornimuni cations unit to inform a communication unit user.

21. A method of operating a communication system according to claims 19 or 20, wherein the billing rate is dynamically adjusted according to the communications activity on the at least one communication resource.

22. A method of operating a communication system according to any one of preceding claims 19 to 21, wherein the communications system is at least one of the following: mobile telephony system, mobile radio system, data communi cations system, telemetry system, fixed telecommunications system.

23. A method of operating a communication system according to any one of the preceding claim 19 to 22, wherein the billing rate further includes a tariffmg structure of the user.

24. A method of operating a communication system according to any one of the preceding claims 19 to 23, further comprising the steps of. storing data in a communication unit; and delaying transmission of the data until the billing rate drops below a predetermined threshold.

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25. A communication system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference_ to, or as illustrated by, FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 of the drawings.

26. A communication unit substantially as hereinbefore described with 5 reference to, or as illustrated by, FIG. 3 of the drawings.

27. A method of operating a communication system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, or as illustrated by, FIG. 4 of the drawings.