KR102142907B1 - Method and apparatus for calculating roaming charge in mobile communication - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for calculating a roaming fee of a user terminal using a home network device, the method comprising: registering a roaming account book of the user terminal in a block chain; And transmitting the address of the block chain in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal, wherein the visited network device receives the block chain address from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network, and the user terminal in the visited network A method for calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, characterized in that the usage data of the user is recorded in the roaming account book by transmitting the usage data of the block chain according to the address of the block chain.

Description

Mobile communication roaming fee settlement method and apparatus {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALCULATING ROAMING CHARGE IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION}

The present invention relates to the field of calculating roaming charges in a mobile communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for calculating a roaming fee between a home network and a visited network using a block chain.

As mobile communication services develop, users can communicate with other users anytime, anywhere using their own terminals. Companies that provide mobile communication services are installing communication infrastructure in various regions to ensure the mobility of the service, but in reality, there is a limit to installing communication facilities in all regions. Accordingly, a roaming service has been provided as a way to prevent communication shading in an area where communication facilities are not installed.

The roaming service is a service that enables a subscriber of a home network to communicate through a network of another company in an area where network facilities of the other company are installed.

Such a roaming service may be provided according to a contract between a home network operator and a visiting network operator, and the visiting network operator charges the home network operator for a fee using the home network operator for the home network operator to settle.

According to a conventional roaming fee settlement method, when a home network subscriber uses a visited network, the visited network operator transmits the subscriber's usage data on a daily basis through a roaming settlement, for example, a data clearing house. It transmits to the home network operator, and also transmits the billing data according to usage to the home network operator on a monthly basis through a separate roaming settlement, for example, a finance clearing house. The home network operator pays the roaming fee to the visiting network operator according to the fee data received through the roaming settlement.

However, according to the conventional method as described above, separate charges are incurred by using the data clearing house and the finance clearing house for the settlement of the roaming fee, which causes damage to the network operator, and the visiting network operator is There is a problem in that the fee is settled very late because the fee is settled.

A method and apparatus for calculating mobile communication roaming charges according to an embodiment of the present invention is intended to enable the settlement of roaming charges without using a roaming settlement.

In addition, a method and apparatus for calculating a mobile communication roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention aims to enable rapid roaming fee settlement.

Roaming fee settlement method according to an embodiment of the present invention,

A method for calculating a roaming fee of a user terminal by a home network device, the method comprising: registering a roaming account book of the user terminal in a block chain; And transmitting the address of the block chain in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal, wherein the visited network device receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network, and , By transmitting the usage data of the user terminal in the visited network to the block chain according to the address of the block chain, the usage of the user terminal may be recorded in the roaming settlement book.

The step of registering the roaming settlement ledger further includes registering a reference fee for a predetermined amount of usage in the visited network in the blockchain, wherein the blockchain is based on the reference fee, and the visited network device It is possible to calculate a charge for the amount of usage transmitted from and record the calculated charge as a roaming charge of the home network device.

The roaming fee settlement method further comprises the step of registering identification information of the user terminal in the blockchain, wherein the user terminal transmits the identification information of the user terminal to the visited network device when accessing the visited network. And, the visited network device may authenticate the user terminal by comparing the received identification information of the user terminal with the identification information of the user terminal registered in the block chain.

The blockchain transmits the usage of the user terminal to the home network device, but the roaming fee settlement method further includes calculating a billing amount for the user terminal based on the usage received from the block chain. can do.

The block chain may verify whether the usage data of the user terminal received from the visited network device corresponds to a predetermined format.

A home network device according to an embodiment of the present invention,

A first communication unit for registering the roaming settlement ledger of the user terminal in the blockchain; And a second communication unit for transmitting the address of the block chain in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal, wherein the visited network device receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network. After receiving, the usage data of the user terminal in the visited network can be transmitted to the blockchain according to the address of the blockchain, so that the usage of the user terminal can be recorded in the roaming settlement book.

Roaming fee settlement method according to another embodiment of the present invention,

A method for calculating a roaming fee for a user terminal using a visited network device, the method comprising: receiving a block chain address from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network; Acquiring a usage amount of the user terminal in the visited network; And transmitting the obtained usage data of the user terminal to the address of the block chain, so that the roaming fee is settled by the roaming settlement book registered in the block chain.

The roaming fee settlement method includes: receiving identification information of the user terminal from the user terminal; And comparing the identification information of the user terminal registered in the blockchain with the identification information of the received user terminal to authenticate the user terminal.

A visited network device according to another embodiment of the present invention,

When the user terminal accesses the visited network, the MME receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal; A P-GW for acquiring usage of the user terminal in the visited network; And a web server that transmits the obtained usage data of the user terminal to the address of the block chain to perform roaming settlement by a roaming settlement book registered in the block chain.

The method and apparatus for calculating a mobile communication roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention may settle a roaming fee without using a roaming settlement.

In addition, the method and apparatus for calculating mobile communication roaming charges according to an embodiment of the present invention may enable rapid settlement of roaming charges.

In addition, the method and apparatus for calculating mobile communication roaming charges according to an embodiment of the present invention can guarantee the integrity of the settlement fee data.

However, the effects that can be achieved by the mobile communication roaming fee settlement method and apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned are to which the present invention belongs from the following description. It will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a home network, a visited network, and a block chain according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a source code of a roaming settlement ledger registered in a block chain from a home network device.
4 is an exemplary diagram showing a source code of identification information of a user terminal registered in a block chain from a home network device.
5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a home network device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a visited network device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention can be applied to various changes and can have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail through detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and the present invention should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In describing the present invention, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. In addition, the numbers used in the description process of the present specification (eg, first, second, etc.) are only identification numbers for distinguishing one component from other components.

In addition, in the present specification, when one component is referred to as “connected” or “connected” with another component, the one component may be directly connected to the other component, or may be directly connected. It should be understood that, as long as there is no objection to the contrary, it may or may be connected via another component in the middle.

In addition, in this specification, two or more components are expressed as'~ unit (unit)' or'module', or two or more components are combined into one component, or two or more components are divided into more detailed functions. It may be differentiated into. In addition, each of the components to be described below may additionally perform some or all of the functions of other components in addition to the main functions in charge of them, and some of the main functions of each component are different. Needless to say, it may also be carried out exclusively by components.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to the technical idea of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 is an exemplary diagram showing a home network 20, a visited network 30, and a block chain 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the user terminal 100 is a subscriber terminal of the home network 20 and uses a mobile communication service within the home network 20. The user terminal 100 may move from the home network 20 area to the visited network 30 area and use a mobile communication service within the visited network 30.

The home network device 200 may include a web server, and the home network device 200 roams for the settlement of roaming charges generated as the user terminal 100 uses the mobile communication service in the visited network 30. The settlement ledger is registered in the blockchain 400.

Blockchain is a form of distributed database, a list of continuously growing data records, designed to prevent arbitrary manipulation by operators of distributed nodes. A well-known application of blockchain is Bitcoin as a decentralized electronic ledger that records the transaction process of cryptocurrency.

The visited network device 300 may include a mobility management entity (MME), a packet data network gateway (P-GW), and a web server, and the user terminal 100 moves to the area of the visited network 30 to access ( access), the user terminal 100 is authenticated, and the usage data of the user terminal 100 is transmitted to the block chain 400 so that the roaming fee is settled. The usage data may include at least one of the amount of voice calls, the number of message transmissions, and data usage of the user terminal 100, but is not limited thereto.

In the roaming fee settlement method according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the home network device 200 and the visited network device 300 communicate with the blockchain 400 instead of communicating with each other, the roaming fee is settled, As in the past, there is no charge for use of the roaming settlement.

Hereinafter, a method of calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates a process performed by the home network device 200.

In step S210, the home network device 200 registers the roaming account book of the user terminal 100 in the block chain 400. The roaming settlement ledger is a kind of program that automatically performs the calculation of roaming charges for the visited network device 300, and roaming charges for the visited network device 300 are recorded through the roaming settlement book.

An exemplary source code of the roaming settlement ledger registered in the blockchain 400 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the roaming settlement ledger is account information 31 of the home network 20, which will be described later. It may include functions 32 and 34 for verifying usage data and a function 33 for recording roaming charges.

In addition, the home network apparatus 200 may also register identification information of the user terminal 100 in the block chain 400, and the source code of the identification information of the user terminal 100 is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the home network device 200 may register an international mobile station identity (IMSI), key, and QOS of the user terminal 100 as identification information 41 in the blockchain 400. .

Referring back to FIG. 2, in step S220, the home network device 200 transmits an address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal 100. The address is one that can access the roaming settlement book registered in the blockchain 400, and the visited network device 300 can transmit usage data to the blockchain 400 according to the address of the blockchain 400.

Specifically, when the user terminal 100 accesses the visited network device 300 in order to access the visited network 30, the user terminal 100 uses the block chain 400 received from the home network device 200. The address may be transmitted to the visited network device 300.

The visited network device 300 may measure usage of the user terminal 100 in the visited network 30 and transmit the measured usage data to the block chain 400 according to the address of the block chain 400.

The block chain 400 accumulates the usage (CDR; call detail record) of the user terminal 100, as in the code referenced by reference numeral 33 in FIG. 3, and a contract fee (in other words, the home network ( 20) The roaming fee (total_fee) is calculated by multiplying the reference fee for a predetermined amount of usage contracted by the administrator and the visiting network 30 administrator. And, the block chain 400 records that the roaming fee (total_fee) should be settled from the home network 20 account (Home_Account) to the visited network 30 account (Visited_Account).

When usage data is received from the visited network device 300, the blockchain 400 verifies whether the received usage data conforms to a predetermined format, such as codes referenced 32 and 34 in FIG. 3, and then roams. Fees can be calculated and recorded.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in step S230, the home network device 200 calculates the fee according to the roaming fee recorded in the roaming account book. For example, the home network device 200 may transfer an amount corresponding to a roaming fee recorded in the roaming settlement book to an account of the visited network 30.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of calculating a roaming fee according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The home network device 200 registers the identification information of the user terminal 100 and the roaming account book in the block chain 400 (S510).

The home network device 200 transmits the identification information of the user terminal 100 and the address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal 100 (S515).

The user terminal 100 accesses the visited network device 300 for roaming service (S520), and transmits its identification information and the address of the block chain 400 to the visited network device 300 (S525).

The visited network device 300 acquires identification information registered in the block chain 400 according to the received address of the block chain 400 (S530), and identifies the user terminal 100 received from the user terminal 100 The user terminal 100 is authenticated by comparing the information with the identification information obtained from the block chain 400 (S535). That is, the visited network device 300 does not need to communicate with the home network device 200, based on the identification information registered in the block chain 400, the user terminal 100 wishing to use its own network contracts with itself. It is to check whether the subscriber of one home network 20 is correct.

The user terminal 100 uses the mobile communication service using the visited network 30 (S540), and the visited network device 300 measures and stores the amount of usage of the user terminal 100 (S545).

The visited network device 300 transmits usage data to the address of the block chain 400 received from the user terminal 100 (S550), and the block chain 400 calculates and records a roaming fee according to the received usage data. Do it (S555).

In addition, the block chain 400 may transmit usage data to the home network device 200 (S560), in this case, the home network device 200 calculates a billing amount for the user terminal 100 based on the usage. Do (S565). The calculated billing amount may be charged to the user terminal 100.

On the other hand, in the step S510, the address of the block chain 400 in which the identification information of the user terminal 100 is registered and the address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered may be the same or different. When the address of the block chain 400 in which the identification information of the user terminal 100 is registered and the address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming account book is registered are the same, in step S515, the home network device 200 is Only the address of the chain 400 is transmitted to the user terminal 100, and in step S525, the user terminal 100 may also transmit only the address of one block chain 400 to the visited network device 300. When the address of the block chain 400 in which the identification information of the user terminal 100 is registered and the address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming account book is registered are different from each other, in step S515, the home network device 200 The block chain 400 address is transmitted to the user terminal 100, and in step S525, the user terminal 100 may also transmit the addresses of the two block chains 400 to the visited network device 300.

6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a home network device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a home network device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first communication unit 610, a second communication unit 630, and a control unit 650. The first communication unit 610, the second communication unit 630, and the control unit 650 may be implemented as a microprocessor, and may operate according to programs stored in a memory (not shown).

The first communication unit 610 communicates with the block chain 400. Specifically, the first communication unit 610 may register the identification information of the user terminal 100 and the roaming settlement ledger in the block chain 400.

The second communication unit 630 communicates with the user terminal 100. Specifically, the second communication unit 630 may transmit the identification information of the user terminal 100 and the address of the block chain 400 in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal 100.

The control unit 650 can control the first communication unit 610 and the second communication unit 630, and when usage data is received from the blockchain 400, roaming for the user terminal 100 according to the received usage amount You can calculate the billing amount.

7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a visited network device 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The visited network device 700 may include an MME 710, a web server 730, and a P-GW 750.

The MME 710 receives the address of the blockchain 400 and identification information of the user terminal 100 from the user terminal 100 when the user terminal 100 is accessed.

The MME 710 transmits the address of the block chain 400 to the web server 730, and the web server 730 acquires identification information registered in the block chain 400 according to the received address, and the MME 710 Transfer to.

The MME 710 authenticates the user terminal 100 by comparing the identification information received from the user terminal 100 with the identification information obtained from the block chain 400.

The P-GW 750 measures the usage of the user terminal 100 in the visited network 30, and transmits the usage data to the blockchain 400 through the web server 750 so that the roaming fee can be settled. have.

7 shows that the web server 730 is separated from the MME 710 and the P-GW 750, but this is only one embodiment, and the web server 730 is implemented in the MME 710 or -It may be implemented in the GW 750, or may be implemented in both the MME 710 and the P-GW 750.

Meanwhile, the above-described embodiments of the present invention can be written as a program that can be executed on a computer, and the written program can be stored in a medium.

The medium may include a storage medium such as a magnetic storage medium (for example, a ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc.), an optical reading medium (for example, a CD-ROM, a DVD, etc.), but is not limited thereto.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may realize that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical spirit or essential features. You will understand. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

100: user terminal
200, 600: home network device
300, 700: visited network device
400: Blockchain
610: first communication unit
630: second communication unit
650: control unit
710: MME
730: web server
750: P-GW

Claims (9)

A method for calculating a roaming fee of a home network device for access to a visited network of a user terminal, which is a home network subscription terminal,
Registering the roaming settlement ledger of the user terminal in the blockchain; And
Including the step of transmitting the address of the block chain in which the roaming settlement ledger is registered to the user terminal,
The visited network device receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network, and transmits usage data of the user terminal in the visited network to the block chain according to the address of the block chain. The roaming fee settlement method, characterized in that the usage of the user terminal is recorded in the roaming settlement book.
The method of claim 1,
The step of registering the roaming settlement ledger,
Further comprising the step of registering a reference fee for a predetermined amount of usage in the visited network in the blockchain,
The block chain,
And calculating a charge for usage transmitted from the visited network device based on the reference charge, and recording the calculated charge as a roaming charge of the home network device.
The method of claim 1,
The above roaming fee settlement method,
Further comprising the step of registering the identification information of the user terminal in the block chain,
The user terminal,
When accessing the visited network, the identification information of the user terminal is transmitted to the visited network device,
The visited network device,
The roaming fee settlement method, characterized in that the user terminal is authenticated by comparing the received identification information of the user terminal with the identification information of the user terminal registered in the block chain.
The method of claim 1,
The blockchain transmits the usage of the user terminal to the home network device,
The above roaming fee settlement method,
And calculating a billing amount for the user terminal based on the usage amount received from the block chain.
The method of claim 1,
The block chain,
And verifying whether the usage data of the user terminal received from the visited network device corresponds to a predetermined format.
In a home network device for calculating a roaming fee according to a visited network connection of a user terminal that is a subscriber terminal of a home network,
A first communication unit for registering the roaming settlement ledger of the user terminal in the blockchain; And
Including a second communication unit for transmitting the address of the block chain registered with the roaming settlement ledger to the user terminal,
The visited network device receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network, and transmits usage data of the user terminal in the visited network to the block chain according to the address of the block chain. Thus, the home network device, characterized in that to record the usage of the user terminal in the roaming settlement book.
In the method of calculating the roaming fee of a user terminal by a visited network device,
Receiving a block chain address from the user terminal when the user terminal accesses the visited network;
Acquiring a usage amount of the user terminal in the visited network; And
And transmitting the obtained usage data of the user terminal to the address of the block chain, and causing the roaming fee to be settled by the roaming settlement ledger registered in the block chain.
The method of claim 7,
The above roaming fee settlement method,
Receiving identification information of the user terminal from the user terminal; And
And comparing the identification information of the user terminal registered in the block chain with the identification information of the user terminal to be received to authenticate the user terminal.
When the user terminal accesses the visited network, the MME receives the address of the block chain from the user terminal;
A P-GW for acquiring usage of the user terminal in the visited network; And
And a web server that transmits the obtained usage data of the user terminal to the address of the block chain to perform roaming settlement by a roaming settlement book registered in the block chain.

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