JP2008054021A - Mobile communication system and mobile phone - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To present a charge for use of a roaming service and a maximum available time to a user before he or she uses the roaming service. <P>SOLUTION: In a mobile phone, a control part 18 preliminarily downloads accounting information from a network-side database and stores it into a storage part 13. Before a call is originated or an incoming call is accepted by using the roaming service, the control part 18 uses accounting information stored in the storage part 13 to calculate the charge for use of the roaming service and the maximum available time and displays them on a display 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile communication system and a mobile phone.

  In modern society, mobile phones have become indispensable for people's lives. In addition, roaming services (services received when the mobile phone user is registered in the network of a mobile phone carrier other than the mobile phone carrier to which the mobile phone user is subscribed) are widely used by mobile phone users. Yes.

  However, the usage fee for roaming service is generally higher than that for non-roaming service (service received when the mobile phone user is registered in the network of the mobile phone carrier to which the mobile phone user is subscribed). . Further, although there is no charge for incoming calls in the non-roaming service, there are many cases where charges are also charged for incoming calls in the roaming service.

  For this reason, if the user unconsciously uses the roaming service in the same sense as the non-roaming service, an unexpectedly expensive fee is often charged later.

  Therefore, recently, a technology for calculating a usage fee for a mobile phone roaming service and presenting it to a user has been disclosed.

For example, 3GPP TS22.024, TS22.086, TS23.086, and TS24.086 define an AOC (Advice of Charge) service that a mobile phone calculates a roaming service usage fee and presents to the user. ing. A technique for calculating the usage fee for the roaming service is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.
JP 2002-300311 A

  However, the AOC service described above has the following problems.

  (1) The billing information used for the AOC billing calculation is notified from the network to the mobile phone after the user starts the call, and the mobile phone calculates the usage fee after the call is terminated and presents it to the user. That is, the user cannot know the usage fee of the roaming service to be used before starting a call.

  (2) Since the billing information used for the AOC billing calculation is notified from the network to the mobile phone, whether or not the AOC service can be used largely depends on the network setting of the mobile phone carrier. However, conventionally, there are many networks that do not notify the charging information, and even if there is a network that notifies the charging information, there are few networks that notify the roaming service charging information to the mobile phone that is roaming.

  (3) In AOC, the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) of the mobile phone stores the total amount and usage limit of the roaming service usage fee. If the total amount exceeds the usage limit, the roaming service in use There is a service to disconnect. However, before using the roaming service, the user cannot grasp how much the roaming service can be used without being disconnected.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication system and a mobile phone capable of presenting to the user the usage fee and the maximum available time of the roaming service before using the roaming service.

In order to achieve the above object, the mobile communication system of the present invention provides:
Mobile communication comprising a database for storing billing information used for billing calculation of roaming service, and a mobile phone for performing billing calculation using the billing information downloaded from the database when using the roaming service In the system,
The mobile phone is
A storage unit;
A display unit;
The charging information is downloaded from the database in advance and stored in the storage unit, and the roaming is performed using the charging information stored in the storage unit before making a call using the roaming service or accepting an incoming call. And a control unit that calculates a service usage fee and a maximum available time and displays the service usage fee and the maximum available time on the display unit.

In order to achieve the above object, the mobile phone of the present invention
A mobile phone that performs billing calculation using billing information downloaded from a database on a network when using a roaming service,
A storage unit;
A display unit;
The charging information is downloaded from the database in advance and stored in the storage unit, and the roaming is performed using the charging information stored in the storage unit before making a call using the roaming service or accepting an incoming call. And a control unit that calculates a service usage fee and a maximum available time and displays the service usage fee and the maximum available time on the display unit.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, the mobile phone downloads billing information used for billing calculation of the roaming service in advance from the database, and before making a call using the roaming service or before accepting an incoming call. Then, the billing information is used to calculate and display the roaming service usage fee and maximum available time.

  Therefore, before using the roaming service, the user can receive the usage fee and the maximum available time for the roaming service.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that the user can receive the usage fee and the maximum available time of the roaming service before using the roaming service.

  Therefore, since the user can grasp how much time and how long the roaming service to be used can be used, the roaming service can be used according to his / her payment ability. .

  For example, the user can select to use the roaming service as it is if he / she has a payment capability, or to abandon the use of the roaming service or shorten the usage time if he / she does not have the payment capability.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile communication system according to the present embodiment includes a network of a mobile phone operator H and a network of a mobile phone operator V.

  The mobile phone operator H is a domestic mobile phone operator to which users of the mobile phones 101 and 102 are subscribed, and the mobile phone operator V is a roaming destination mobile phone operator of the mobile phones 101 and 102. is there.

  That is, the user of the mobile phone 101 or 102 can use the non-roaming service by registering the location with the network of the domestic mobile phone operator H, and registering the location with the network of the mobile phone operator V of the roaming destination. And can use the roaming service.

  The network of the mobile phone operator V includes a base station 201, a base station control device 301, a mobile phone switch 401, and a gateway switch 501.

  The network of the mobile phone operator H includes a base station 202, a base station controller 302, a mobile phone switch 402, a gateway switch 502, and a database (HLR: home location register) 602.

  The database 602 stores billing information used for billing calculation of the roaming service, in addition to the subscriber information (including information on the users of the cellular phones 101 and 102) subscribed to the cellular phone carrier H.

  Here, the configuration of the mobile phones 101 and 102 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Since the mobile phones 101 and 102 have the same configuration, the configuration of the mobile phone 101 will be described below.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile phone 101 includes an antenna 11, a radio unit 12, a storage unit 13, an operation unit 14, a display 15, a microphone 16, a speaker 17, and a control unit 18.

  The radio unit 12 performs processing for transmitting / receiving radio signals via the antenna 11, baseband processing, modulation / demodulation processing, and the like.

  The storage unit 13 includes a plurality of storage units. For example, the storage unit 13 includes a SIM that stores the accumulated amount and usage limit of the roaming service usage fee of the mobile phone 101, a storage unit that stores charging information downloaded from the database 602 and used for charging calculation of the roaming service, and the like. including.

  The operation unit 14 is a key operated by the user of the mobile phone 101.

  The display 15 is a display unit that displays various kinds of information such as a usage fee and a maximum available time, which are billing calculation results of the roaming service.

  The microphone 16 is a voice input unit that collects the voice of the user of the mobile phone 101, and the speaker 17 is a voice output unit that outputs the voice of the other party.

  The control unit 18 is a CPU that performs overall control of the mobile phone 101.

Hereinafter, the operation of the mobile communication system shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
[Operation when moving mobile phone]
First, the operation when the mobile phone 101 moves under the network of the mobile phone operator V that is the roaming destination will be described.

  When the mobile phone 101 moves under the network of the mobile phone operator V that is the roaming destination, the mobile phone 101 notifies the mobile phone 101 from the base station 201 on the network side of the mobile phone operator V before performing location registration. Information is notified.

  The broadcast information includes a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network), and the PLMN includes an MCC (Mobile Country Code) indicating the country where the mobile phone 101 is currently located, and a roaming service at the current location of the mobile phone 101. And a mobile network code (MNC) indicating the mobile phone operator V that provides the mobile phone.

  In the mobile phone 101, notification information from the base station 201 is received by the wireless unit 12 via the antenna 11. Then, the control unit 18 stores the MCC and MNC included in the notification information in the storage unit 13.

  Therefore, the mobile phone 101 can recognize the country in which the mobile phone 101 is currently located by MCC, and can recognize the mobile phone operator V that provides the roaming service at the current location of the mobile phone 101 by MNC. Can do.

After that, the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 performs location registration in the network of the mobile phone operator V via the antenna 11 from the wireless unit 12. The registration destination at this time assumes a database (HLR) (not shown) on the network side of the mobile phone operator V.
[Operation when downloading billing information of mobile phone]
Next, an operation when the mobile phone 101 downloads billing information used for the billing calculation of the roaming service will be described.

  The database 602 on the network side of the mobile phone operator H to which the mobile phone 101 is subscribed stores charging information used for charging calculation for the roaming service.

  The billing information includes AOC parameters set for each country, each carrier, each service type, and each time zone, and is always updated to the latest information.

  The control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 accesses the database 602 from the wireless unit 12 via the antenna 11, and always downloads the latest billing information from the database 602 and stores it in the storage unit 13.

  Here, the timing at which the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 downloads the billing information from the database 602 is arbitrary. For example, the billing information may be downloaded in the following cases (1) to (4).

  (1) When the control unit 18 of the cellular phone 101 determines that the country where the current position is changed by the notification information, first, it is determined whether or not a parameter corresponding to the corresponding country is stored in the storage unit 13 as billing information. to decide. If it is not stored in the storage unit 13, the control unit 18 downloads the latest billing information from the database 602 automatically or with confirmation from the user.

  (2) When the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 determines that the mobile phone provider providing the roaming service has changed according to the notification information, first, a parameter corresponding to the corresponding mobile phone operator is stored as the charging information in the storage unit 13. It is determined whether it is stored in. If it is not stored in the storage unit 13, the control unit 18 downloads the latest billing information from the database 602 automatically or with confirmation from the user.

  (3) The control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 downloads the latest billing information from the database 602 when instructed by the user. For example, when there is a possibility that a user uses a roaming service at a travel destination, it is conceivable that a parameter according to the country of the travel destination or a mobile phone carrier is downloaded in advance as charging information. Downloading billing information for travel destinations when you are in the country is convenient because the communication fee required for downloading is reduced.

  (4) The billing information is used to calculate the usage fee and the maximum available time of the roaming service before making a call using the roaming service or accepting an incoming call. Therefore, the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 downloads the latest billing information from the database 602 before calculating the roaming service usage fee and the maximum available time.

It goes without saying that the accounting information can be automatically distributed to the mobile phone 101 on the network side, instead of being acquired by the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 accessing the database 602. . For example, a method of transmitting packet paging information from the network side to the mobile phone 101 and connecting the mobile phone 101 to the database 602 using the packet paging information can be considered.
[Operation when calling from mobile phone]
Next, the operation at the time of outgoing call of the mobile phone 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Here, the mobile phone 101 is registered in the network of the mobile phone carrier V that is the roaming destination, and the mobile phone 102 is registered in the network of the mobile phone carrier H in the country. It shall be transmitted to.

  Referring to FIG. 3, first, the user of the mobile phone 101 inputs the telephone number of the mobile phone 102 to be called (step 301) and selects a service type (for example, a voice call service or a videophone service). (Step 302), and the call button is pressed (step 303).

  Then, the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 provides a roaming service in the country where the mobile phone 101 is currently located and the current location using the MCC and MNC included in the notification information stored in the storage unit 13. Recognize operator V. Next, the control unit 18 selects from the charging information stored in the storage unit 13 an AOC parameter corresponding to the country in which the mobile phone 101 is currently located, an AOC parameter corresponding to the mobile phone operator V, and a user. AOC parameters corresponding to the service type to be used and AOC parameters corresponding to the current time zone are extracted (step 304).

  Next, using the AOC parameter extracted above, the control unit 18 calculates a usage fee (for example, a call fee per unit time) and a maximum available time when making a call using the roaming service, This is displayed on the display 15 (step 305).

  Specifically, for example, the control unit 18 calculates a usage fee by inputting the AOC parameter extracted above as a variable into a predetermined mathematical formula, and displays it on the display 15. Further, the control unit 18 calculates the time until the accumulated amount obtained by adding the usage fee calculated above reaches the usage limit stored in the SIM of the storage unit 13 as the maximum available time, and displays it on the display 15. To do. At this time, when the accumulated amount has already exceeded the usage limit, the control unit 18 displays on the display 15 that the roaming service cannot be used.

  Therefore, before making a call using the roaming service, the mobile phone 101 can present the usage fee and the maximum available time for the roaming service to the user.

  Thereafter, when the user performs an operation of permitting outgoing call after the user confirms the usage fee and the maximum available time, a communication sequence related to outgoing call is started (step 306).

  Here, a communication sequence related to transmission will be briefly described.

  First, the control unit 18 sends a call from the wireless unit 12 to the mobile phone 102 via the antenna 11. Then, the mobile phone 101 passes through the base station 201 on the network side of the mobile phone operator V, the base station control device 301, the mobile phone exchange point 401, and the gateway exchange 501 to the gateway exchange 502 on the network side of the mobile phone operator H. And connected to the mobile phone switch 402.

  Next, the gateway switch 502 and the mobile phone switch 402 obtain the position information of the mobile phone 102 from the database 602.

  Thereafter, a call originated from the mobile phone 101 arrives at the mobile phone 102 through the base station control device 302 and the base station 202 on the network side of the mobile phone operator H. When the mobile phone 102 is in an off-hook state and accepts an incoming call, the mobile phone 101 and the mobile phone 102 are connected by call and a call is started.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the mobile phone 101 calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time of the roaming service, the conventional AOC service mechanism is used. This eliminates the need for significant changes in the settings of the conventional mobile communication system.

  An improvement from the conventional mobile communication system is that the billing information stored in the database 602 includes AOC parameters set for each country, each carrier, each service type, and each time zone, The latest information on the billing information is always downloaded to the mobile phone 101.

  Therefore, the mobile phone 101 can obtain the billing information that can be obtained for the first time after the end of the call in the conventional mobile communication system before the start of the call.

  Therefore, before making a call using the roaming service, the mobile phone 101 can calculate the usage fee using the billing information and present it to the user.

  In addition, in the conventional mobile communication system, there are many networks that do not notify the charging information, and even if there is a network that notifies the charging information, the charging information for the roaming service is notified to the mobile phone that is roaming. There are few networks to do.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the mobile phone 101 has downloaded the billing information for the roaming service in advance, the mobile phone 101 can always present a usage fee suitable for the network where the user has registered its location.

In the present embodiment, the mobile phone 101 calculates the maximum available time indicating the time until the accumulated amount of the usage fee reaches the usage limit amount stored in the SIM of the storage unit 13, and presents it to the user. can do.
[Operation when a mobile phone receives an incoming call]
Next, the operation when the mobile phone 101 receives an incoming call will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Here, the mobile phone 101 is registered in the network of the mobile phone carrier V that is the roaming destination, and the mobile phone 102 is registered in the network of the mobile phone carrier H in the country. Suppose that there was an incoming call.

  In the mobile phone 101, it is assumed that a call from the mobile phone 102 arrives at the wireless unit 12 via the antenna 11 (step 401).

  Then, the control unit 18 of the mobile phone 101 provides a roaming service in the country where the mobile phone 101 is currently located and the current location using the MCC and MNC included in the notification information stored in the storage unit 13. Recognize operator V. Next, the control unit 18 selects from the charging information stored in the storage unit 13 an AOC parameter corresponding to the country in which the mobile phone 101 is currently located, an AOC parameter corresponding to the mobile phone operator V, and a user. AOC parameters corresponding to the service type to be used, and AOC parameters corresponding to the current time zone are extracted (step 402).

  Next, the control unit 18 calculates a usage fee (for example, a call fee per unit time) when receiving an incoming call using the roaming service, using the AOC parameter extracted above (step 403).

  Specifically, the control unit 18 calculates the usage fee by inputting, for example, the AOC parameter extracted above as a variable into a predetermined mathematical formula.

  Here, the control unit 18 determines whether or not a fee is charged when receiving an incoming call, that is, whether or not the roaming service usage fee is charged (step 404).

  If there is no charge, the control unit 18 displays only an incoming call notification on the display 15 (step 405), and when the user performs an operation for receiving an incoming call (operation for setting an off-hook state), communication relating to reception of the incoming call is performed. The sequence is started (step 406).

  On the other hand, when charging occurs, the control unit 18 calculates the time until the cumulative amount obtained by adding the usage fee calculated above reaches the usage limit amount stored in the SIM of the storage unit 13 as the maximum available time. Then, it is displayed on the display 15 together with the usage fee and the incoming call notification calculated above (step 407). At this time, when the accumulated amount has already exceeded the usage limit, the control unit 18 displays on the display 15 that the roaming service cannot be used.

  Therefore, before accepting an incoming call using the roaming service, the mobile phone 101 can present the usage fee and the maximum available time of the roaming service to the user.

  Thereafter, when the control unit 18 performs an operation of accepting an incoming call (an operation to set an off-hook state) after the user confirms the usage fee and the maximum available time, a communication sequence for accepting the incoming call is started (step 408). .

It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile communication system of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile telephone shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation at the time of outgoing call of the mobile phone shown in FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the mobile phone shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Antenna 12 Radio | wireless part 13 Memory | storage part 14 Operation part 15 Display 16 Microphone 17 Speaker 18 Control part 101,102 Cellular phone 201,202 Base station 301,302 Base station control apparatus 401,402 Cellular telephone switch 501,502 Gateway switch 602 Database

Claims (20)

Mobile communication comprising a database for storing billing information used for billing calculation of roaming service, and a mobile phone for performing billing calculation using the billing information downloaded from the database when using the roaming service In the system,
The mobile phone is
A storage unit;
A display unit;
The charging information is downloaded from the database in advance and stored in the storage unit, and the roaming is performed using the charging information stored in the storage unit before making a call using the roaming service or accepting an incoming call. A mobile communication system comprising: a control unit that calculates a service usage fee and a maximum available time and displays the service usage fee and the maximum available time on the display unit.   The control unit, based on the notification information notified from the network when moving to the network of the mobile phone operator that provides the roaming service, the current location of the mobile phone and the current location of the mobile phone The mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein a mobile phone provider that provides the roaming service is recognized at a location. The billing information includes parameters set for each country,
The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time using the parameters according to a country in which the mobile phone is currently located. The billing information includes parameters set for each mobile phone carrier,
The control unit according to claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time by using the parameters according to a mobile phone provider that provides a roaming service that the mobile phone is going to use. Mobile communication system. The billing information includes parameters set for each type of roaming service,
The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time using the parameters according to a type of roaming service that the mobile phone is going to use. The billing information includes parameters set for each time zone,
The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time using the parameters according to a current time zone.   The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit downloads the charging information from the database before calculating the usage fee and the maximum available time.   The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when it is determined that the country in which the mobile phone is currently located has changed based on the notification information.   The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when it is determined that a mobile phone provider that provides the roaming service has changed based on the notification information.   The mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when an instruction from a user of the mobile phone is received. A mobile phone that performs billing calculation using billing information downloaded from a database on a network when using a roaming service,
A storage unit;
A display unit;
The charging information is downloaded from the database in advance and stored in the storage unit, and the roaming is performed using the charging information stored in the storage unit before making a call using the roaming service or accepting an incoming call. And a control unit that calculates a service usage fee and a maximum available time and displays the service usage fee and the maximum available time on the display unit.   The control unit, based on the notification information notified from the network when moving to the network of the mobile phone operator that provides the roaming service, the current location of the mobile phone and the current location of the mobile phone 12. The mobile phone according to claim 11, wherein the mobile phone recognizes a mobile phone provider that provides the roaming service at a location. The billing information includes parameters set for each country,
The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time using the parameters according to a country in which the mobile phone is currently located. The billing information includes parameters set for each mobile phone carrier,
The control unit according to claim 12, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time by using the parameters according to a mobile phone operator that provides a roaming service that the mobile phone intends to use. Mobile phone. The billing information includes parameters set for each type of roaming service,
The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time using the parameters according to a type of roaming service that the mobile phone is going to use. The billing information includes parameters set for each time zone,
The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit calculates the usage fee and the maximum available time by using the parameter according to a current time zone.   The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit downloads the charging information from the database before calculating the usage fee and the maximum available time.   The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when determining that the country in which the mobile phone is currently located has changed based on the notification information.   The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when it is determined that a mobile phone provider that provides the roaming service has changed based on the notification information.   The mobile phone according to claim 12, wherein the control unit downloads the billing information from the database when an instruction from a user of the mobile phone is received.

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