KR101686659B1 - System and Method for Charge between Each Other Network - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heterogeneous manganese billing system and method.

A heterogeneous manganese billing system according to the present invention comprises: a billing information collecting unit for collecting billing-related information of a heterogeneous network utilization control subscriber from a plurality of heterogeneous networks; A charging information transmitter for transmitting a service stop request message or a service stop release request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks; The billing information collecting unit merges the heterogeneous network usage fee into the single service bill upon the occurrence of the billing request for the subscriber, and if the remaining limit amount of the subscriber is exhausted, a plurality of service suspension requests A billing processing unit for transmitting a plurality of service suspension cancellation request messages through the billing information transmission unit upon occurrence of a billing charge request of the subscriber during a service suspension through the billing information collection unit; And an accounting information storage unit for storing the accounting information processed by the accounting processing unit.

According to the present invention, in the case of performing billing processing on a regulated fee subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks, the billing process is performed as if the service is used in one network by performing the billing process by using the service of the corresponding heterogeneous network, Of the total number of subscribers in the network can be efficiently and economically used.

Heterogeneous network, billing

Description

{System and Method for Charge between Each Other Network}

The present invention relates to a heterogeneous manganese billing system, and more particularly, it relates to a billing method and apparatus for billing a subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks, The present invention relates to a heterogeneous network billing system and method for enabling a heterogeneous network to be efficiently and economically used by a billing subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks.

Generally, various communication services are provided according to the development of communication technology. As a part of the effort, a communication service for using two heterogeneous networks using a dual bend dual mode (DBDM) terminal is provided. For example, two heterogeneous networks such as a Wibro network and a WCDMA network are used And provide telecommunication services.

As described above, a subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks can receive a communication service through a desired available network among a plurality of heterogeneous networks in an area where the subscriber is located.

Conventionally, in the case of performing billing for subscribers using a plurality of different types of networks, charges in the corresponding heterogeneous networks are individually processed for each network, whereby a plurality of communication service use fees are separately provided to subscribers using a plurality of different types of networks There is a problem to be imposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the conventional problems as described above and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for billing a subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks, The present invention provides a heterogeneous network billing system and method for billing a plurality of heterogeneous networks by using a heterogeneous network in an economical and efficient manner.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heterogeneous network billing system comprising: a billing information collecting unit for collecting billing-related information of a heterogeneous network utilization control subscriber from a plurality of heterogeneous networks; A charging information transmitter for transmitting a service stop request message or a service stop release request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks; The billing information collecting unit merges the heterogeneous network usage fee into the single service bill upon the occurrence of the billing request for the subscriber, and if the remaining limit amount of the subscriber is exhausted, a plurality of service suspension requests A billing processing unit for transmitting a plurality of service suspension cancellation request messages through the billing information transmission unit upon occurrence of a billing charge request of the subscriber during a service suspension through the billing information collection unit; And an accounting information storage unit for storing the accounting information processed by the accounting processing unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for charging a heterogeneous network according to the present invention, the method comprising the steps of: when a billing event occurs from a subscriber of a heterogeneous network usage control fee subscriber who has not exhausted the remaining limit, And performing a charging process; Transmitting a service stop request message to network devices of a plurality of heterogeneous networks at the time of occurrence of a billing event from a subscriber of a heterogeneous network usage control fee subscriber who has exhausted the remaining limit amount of the billing processing section; And transmitting a service suspension cancellation request message to the network devices of the plurality of heterogeneous networks when the charge processing unit generates a charge charging event from the heterogeneous network utilization control subscriber.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the step of merging and charging the subscriber with a single service charge includes: confirming that the subscriber is a subscriber using a heterogeneous network; The billing processing unit inquiring a service billing number mapped to the subscriber; The charging processing unit replaces the charging identifier for the subscriber with the service charging number; And the billing processing unit merging the billing process according to the usage of the different kind of network of the subscriber.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in the step of transmitting the service stop request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks, the billing processing unit confirms that the subscriber is a control plan subscriber using the heterogeneous network ; The charging processing unit inquiring connection group information about the subscriber and acquiring the connected line information; And the billing processing unit generates a plurality of service stop request messages for the subscriber and transmits a service stop request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks.

According to the present invention, in the step of transmitting the service suspension cancellation request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks, the charging processing unit confirms that the subscriber is a control plan subscriber using the heterogeneous network Wow; Inquiring about a service of a heterogeneous network in which the billing processing unit is mapped to the subscriber; The billing processing unit may generate a plurality of service suspension cancellation request messages for the subscriber and transmit a service suspension cancellation request message to the network equipments of the plurality of heterogeneous networks.

According to the present invention, when a billing process is performed for a subscriber who is using a plurality of different types of networks, the billing process is performed as if the service is used in one network by performing the billing process using the service of the corresponding heterogeneous network, Of the total number of subscribers in the network can be efficiently and economically used.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention is implemented such that a billing process is performed as if a service is used in one network by performing a billing process for using the service of the corresponding heterogeneous network when the billing process is performed for a regulated fee subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks.

The heterogeneous manganese billing system according to the present invention for realizing the above-described embodiment is implemented as shown in FIG. The terminal 10 is a terminal capable of using a plurality of heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b and is a terminal capable of using all of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b in the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b The communication service can be used by selecting one of the plurality of heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b and using the available communication network in a communication environment where only one of the plurality of heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b is usable.

The billing information collection unit 30a collects billing-related information of the terminal 10 generated in the communication network 20a and transmits the collected billing-related information to the billing processing unit 40. The billing information collection unit 30b collects billing- And collects the billing-related information of the terminal 10 and transmits it to the billing processing unit 40. [

The billing processing unit 40 analyzes the billing-related information input from the billing information collecting units 30a and 30b and determines that the billing event for the terminal 10 subscribed to the control plan using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b The charging processing for the corresponding terminal 10 is performed and the billing based on the use of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b is merged and processed to charge the same as if one communication service is used.

The billing processing unit 40 receives the billing information from the billing information storage unit 70 to the subscriber of the corresponding terminal 10 at the time of the billing event for the terminal 10 subscribed to the control plan using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b And transmits a service stop request message to the communication service related network equipment of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b when confirming that the remaining limit amount of the corresponding terminal 10 is exhausted.

The charge processing unit 40 also receives the charge charging event from the terminal 10 subscribed to the control plan using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b from the subscriber information storage unit 70, And transmits a service suspension cancellation request message to the communication service related network equipment of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b when the service suspension status of the corresponding terminal 10 is confirmed.

The billing information storage unit 70 stores the billing information processed by the billing processing unit 40 and provides billing information of the subscriber to the billing processing unit 40 in response to the inquiry request from the billing processing unit 40. [

The subscriber information storage unit 60 stores subscriber information including subscriber information of the subscriber, subscription plan information of the subscriber and status of use suspension, and stores the subscriber information in the billing processing unit 40 in response to a request from the billing processing unit 40 in billing processing. (40).

The billing information transmission unit 50 transmits a service stop request message or a service stop release request message according to an instruction from the billing processing unit 40 and sends a service stop request message or a service stop request message to the communication service related network equipment of the communication network 20a, And transmits a pause release request message.

The billing processing unit 40 analyzes the billing-related information received through the billing information collecting units 30a and 30b and confirms the occurrence of the billing event for the terminal 10, (10) If it is confirmed that the subscriber is a subscriber who subscribes to the control plan using the heterogeneous network by inquiring the information of the subscriber, the billing based on the use of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b of the subscriber is merged, It is charged as it is used.

When the billing processor 40 inquires the subscriber information of the corresponding subscriber 10 from the subscriber information storage unit 60 and confirms that the subscriber is not a subscriber who subscribes to the control plan using the heterogeneous network, And charges the subscriber in accordance with the use of the communication networks 20a and 20b for the respective used communication networks.

Meanwhile, the billing processing unit 40 analyzes the billing-related information received through the billing information collecting units 30a and 30b and confirms the occurrence of the billing event for the terminal 10 from the billing information storing unit 70 The subscriber information storage unit 60 inquires the billing information of the subscriber of the subscriber terminal 10 and confirms that the remaining subscriber amount of the subscriber terminal 10 has been exhausted, After confirming that the subscriber is a moderated rate subscriber using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b, it inquires the connection group information mapped to the subscriber, acquires the connection line information, creates two service suspension request messages for the subscriber The service stop request message is transmitted to the communication service related network equipment of each of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b through the billing information transmission unit 50 so that all of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b used by the terminal 10 The service stop request.

In this way, when the charging processing unit 40 transmits a service stop request message to the communication service related network equipment of the communication networks 20a and 20b through the charging information transmitting unit 50, for example, for the WCDMA network, A service stop request message is transmitted to a network equipment such as a storage unit, a service control point (SCP), and a database security management system (DBSMS). For example, for a Wibro network, By sending a stop request message, it stops providing the communication service to the subscriber of the heterogeneous network usage control subscriber who has exhausted the limit amount.

When a charge charging event from the subscriber station 10 subscribed to the control plan using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b occurs, the billing processing unit 40 transmits the charge charging event from the subscriber information storage unit 70 to the corresponding terminal 10 The subscriber information storage unit 60 inquires of the subscribers of the corresponding subscriber station 10 to determine whether the subscriber is in a service subscription state using a control plan using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b, After inquiring the service of the heterogeneous network mapped to the corresponding subscriber, two service suspension cancellation request messages for the corresponding subscriber are created and transmitted to the respective heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b through the billing information transmission unit 50. [ The service suspension cancellation request message is sent to the communication service related network equipment of the terminal 10 to request the service suspension cancellation of all the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b used by the terminal 10. [

In this manner, when the billing processing unit 40 transmits a service suspension cancellation request message to the communication service related network equipment of the communication networks 20a and 20b through the billing information transmission unit 50, for example, for the WCDMA network, And transmits a service suspension cancellation request message to a network device such as an information storage unit, an SCP, a DBSMS, and the like, and transmits a service suspension cancellation request message to a network equipment such as an authentication center and a subscriber information storage unit for a Wibro network, Cancellation of the communication service provision to the subscriber who is requested to charge.

The heterogeneous network billing system according to the present invention having the above functions performs the billing process for the subscriber as shown in FIG.

First, when charging information is generated in the heterogeneous networks 20a, 20b using the communication service through one of the heterogeneous networks 20a, 20b, the charging information collecting units 30a, Collects the relevant billing-related information and inputs it to the billing processing unit 40 (step S21).

Then, the billing processor 40 analyzes the billing-related information received through the billing information collectors 30a and 30b to check which event has occurred in the billing event and the charge-charging event (step S23).

The billing processing unit 40 receives from the subscriber information storage unit 60 based on the identification information of the terminal 10 included in the billing related information, (Step S25), inquires whether the remaining limit amount of the corresponding subscriber is exhausted from the billing information storage unit 70, and confirms whether or not the remaining limit amount is exhausted (step S27).

If it is confirmed in step S27 that the remaining limit amount of the subscriber has not been exhausted, the information of the subscriber is inquired from the subscriber information storage unit 60 to determine whether the subscriber is a subscriber who subscribes to the control plan using the heterogeneous network (Step S29).

In step S29, the billing processor 40 checks the service bill number mapped to the subscriber from the subscriber information storage unit 60 (step S31). If it is determined that the subscriber is a control plan subscriber using the heterogeneous network, (Step S33), the billing process for the corresponding subscriber is performed, but the billing process according to the subscriber's use of the heterogeneous networks 20a, 20b is merged and processed (step S35 ).

In step S29, if the subscriber is not a subscriber using a heterogeneous network, the billing processing unit 40 performs a general billing process on the corresponding subscriber, thereby making it possible to use the service of the corresponding private communication network 20a or 20b (Step S37).

For example, assuming that the subscriber of the terminal 10 is a heterogeneous network usage control subscriber who uses the WCDMA type communication network 20a and the Wibro type communication network 20b together, the charging processing unit 40 performs the above- If it is determined in step S21 that the subscriber of the terminal 10 has collected the billing-related information in accordance with the use of the communication service in the Wibro-type communication network 20b, in step S29, it is confirmed that the subscriber is subscribed to the control plan. The WCDMA service billing number mapped to the subscriber is inquired. In step S33, the billing identifier of the subscriber is replaced with the corresponding WCDMA service billing number. In step S35, the collection billing information is charged and the billing process is performed using the corresponding WCDMA service billing number And charges the subscriber's use of the Wibro-type communication network 20b by the charging process of the WCDMA communication network 20a.

If it is determined in step S29 that the subscriber is a general subscriber who is not subscribed to the control plan, the billing processor 40 determines in step S37 whether or not the subscriber is a general subscriber who uses the communication service in the Wibro- And charges the service usage fee for the Wibro-type communication network 20b.

On the other hand, if it is confirmed in step S27 that the remaining limit amount of the corresponding subscriber has been exhausted, the billing processing unit 40 determines whether the subscriber has subscribed to the control plan using the heterogeneous network from the subscriber information storage unit 60 (Step S39).

In step S39, when the subscriber confirms that the subscriber is a subscriber who subscribes to the control plan using the heterogeneous network, the billing processing unit 40 inquires of the subscriber information storage unit 60 about the connection group information of the subscriber, (Step S41), two service stop request messages for the corresponding subscriber are created, and a service stop request is sent to the communication service-related network equipment of each of the heterogeneous networks 20a, 20b via the billing information transmission unit 50 Message to request the service stop of all the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b used by the corresponding subscriber (step S43).

In step S39, when it is confirmed that the subscriber is not a subscriber who subscribes to the control plan using the heterogeneous network, the billing processor 40 creates only one service stop request message for the subscriber, A service stop request message is transmitted to only one communication network 20a or 20b in use and a service stop request message is transmitted to the communication service related network equipment of the communication network in use, (Step S45).

For example, assuming that the subscriber of the terminal 10 is a heterogeneous network usage control subscriber who uses the WCDMA type communication network 20a and the Wibro type communication network 20b together, the charging processing unit 40 performs the above- If it is confirmed in step S21 that the subscriber of the terminal 10 has collected billing-related information as a result of using the communication service in the Wibro-type communication network 20b, in step S39, the subscriber is subscribed to the control plan. In step S43, two service stop request messages for the corresponding subscriber are created and the communication between the WCDMA communication network 20a and the Wibro communication network 20b is established by inquiring of the connection group information about the subscriber, A service stop request message is transmitted to the network devices related to the service, so that all of the heterogeneous networks (20a, 20b) The.

If it is determined in step S39 that the subscriber is a general subscriber who is not subscribed to the control plan, the billing processing unit 40 creates only one service stop request message for the subscriber in step S45 and transmits the service stop request message to the Wibro The service stop request message is transmitted only to the communication service related network equipment of the communication network 20b of the system type 20b so that the service request is made only to the Wibro type communication network 20b being used by the corresponding subscriber.

On the other hand, when the occurrence of the charge charging event is confirmed in step S23, the charging processing unit 40 confirms the current state of the subscriber of the corresponding terminal 10 from the subscriber information storage unit 60 (step S47) Is in a service stop state (step S49).

The charge processing unit 40 inquires of the subscriber information storage unit 60 to determine whether the subscriber of the subscriber terminal 10 is a subscriber of the control plan subscriber using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b (Step S51).

If it is determined in step S51 that the subscriber is a subscriber using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b, the billing processing unit 40 inquires of the service of the heterogeneous network mapped to the subscriber (step S53) And transmits the service suspension cancellation request message to the communication service related network equipment of each of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b through the charging information transmission unit 50 so that the terminal 10 transmits the service suspension cancellation request message The service suspension cancellation request is issued to all of the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b to be used (step S55).

If it is determined in step S51 that the subscriber is not a subscriber using a different type of network using the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b, the billing processing unit 40 creates one service suspension cancellation request message for the subscriber, (20a or 20b) used by the terminal (10) by sending a service suspension cancellation request message to the communication service related network equipment of one communication network (20a or 20b) (Step S57).

For example, assuming that the subscriber of the terminal 10 is a heterogeneous network usage control subscriber who uses the WCDMA type communication network 20a and the Wibro type communication network 20b together, the charging processing unit 40 performs the above- In step S21, when the subscriber of the terminal 10 collects the billing-related information as the communication service is used in the Wibro-type communication network 20b, if it is confirmed in step S51 that the subscriber is subscribed to the control fee, In step S55, two service suspension cancellation request messages for the corresponding subscriber are created and the communication service related network equipment of the WCDMA communication network 20a and the Wibro communication network 20b The service suspension cancellation request message is transmitted to all the heterogeneous networks 20a and 20b used by the corresponding subscriber.

If it is determined in step S51 that the subscriber is a general subscriber who is not subscribed to the control plan, the billing processing unit 40 creates only one service suspension cancellation request message for the subscriber in step S57, A service stop release request message is sent only to the communication service-related network equipment of the Wibro-type communication network 20b, thereby requesting the service station release only to the Wibro-type communication network 20b being used by the corresponding subscriber.

As described above, after performing steps S35, S37, S43, S45, S49, S55 or S57, the billing processing unit 40 determines whether billing-related information is continuously collected through the billing information collecting units 30a and 30b (Step S59). When the billing-related information is collected, the process returns to step S23 described above and repeats the operation. If the billing-related information is not collected, the operation is terminated.

As described above, according to the present invention, in the case of performing billing for a moderated rate subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks, the billing process is performed as if the service is used in one network by performing the billing process by using the service of the corresponding heterogeneous network , It is possible to allow a subscriber who uses a plurality of heterogeneous networks to select and use a desired communication network in a given communication environment so that the heterogeneous network can be used efficiently and economically.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. I will say.

The present invention can be applied to a communication system that provides a communication service to a subscriber through a plurality of heterogeneous networks.

According to the present invention, in the case of performing billing processing on a regulated fee subscriber using a plurality of heterogeneous networks, the billing process is performed as if the service is used in one network by performing the billing process by using the service of the corresponding heterogeneous network, Of the total number of subscribers in the network can be efficiently and economically used.

1 illustrates a heterogeneous manganese charging system in accordance with the present invention;

2 is a diagram illustrating a charging process of a heterogeneous manganese charging system according to the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

10; Terminal

20a, 20b; communications network

30a, 30b; The billing information collection unit

40; The billing processor

50; The billing information transmission unit

60; The subscriber information storage unit

70; The billing information storage unit

Claims (5)

As a heterogeneous manganese billing system, A billing information collecting unit for collecting billing related information of the subscriber from the heterogeneous network; A billing information transmission unit for transmitting a message to network equipments of the heterogeneous network; And a service stop request for each network corresponding to the heterogeneous line information to which the subscriber is connected at the time of occurrence of a billing event from the subscriber who has exhausted the remaining limit amount, Message is generated, and the networks corresponding to the heterogeneous line information are recognized as one network, and the service stop request message is transmitted, and when a charge charging event is generated from the subscriber, a service for each heterogeneous network mapped to the subscriber A stop charging request message, and recognizing the heterogeneous network devices mapped to the subscriber as one network, and controlling to transmit the service stop releasing request message; And A billing information storage unit for storing billing information processed by the billing processing unit, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > 1, < / RTI > As a heterogeneous manganese charging method, Charging the subscriber with a single service charge and charging the subscriber when a charge event from the subscriber does not consume the remaining limit amount; When a billing event from a subscriber who has exhausted the remaining limit amount of the billing processing unit generates a service stop request message for each network corresponding to the heterogeneous line information to which the subscriber is connected and then transmits the networks corresponding to the heterogeneous line information to one network And transmitting the service stop request message; And When the charge processing unit generates a charge charging event from the subscriber, generates a service suspension cancellation request message for each heterogeneous network mapped to the subscriber, recognizes heterogeneous network devices mapped to the subscriber as one network, And sending a release request message Wherein the method comprises the steps of: 3. The method of claim 2, The step of charging includes: Confirming that the subscriber is a subscriber using a heterogeneous network; The billing processing unit inquiring a service billing number mapped to the subscriber; The charging unit replacing the charging identifier for the subscriber with the service charging number; And And a step of the billing processing unit merging billing processing according to use of the heterogeneous network of the subscriber Wherein the method comprises the steps of: 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the transmitting the service stop request message at one time comprises: Confirming that the subscriber is a regulatory subscriber when the charge processing unit generates an accounting event from the subscriber; The charging processing unit inquiring the connection group information about the subscriber and obtaining the connected line information; And The charging processing unit generates a service stop request message for each network corresponding to the counter line information, and then controls the network to recognize the networks corresponding to the counter line information as one network and transmit the service stop request message at one time step Wherein the method comprises the steps of: 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein the step of transmitting the service suspension release request message at a time comprises: Confirming that the subscriber is a control fee subscriber when the charge processing unit generates a charge charge event from the subscriber; Inquiring a service of a heterogeneous network to which the billing processing unit is mapped to the subscriber; And The billing processor generates a service suspension cancellation request message for each heterogeneous network mapped to the subscriber, recognizes the heterogeneous network equipments mapped to the subscriber as one network, and transmits the service suspension cancellation request message at a time Step Wherein the method comprises the steps of:

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