KR20080002307A - Method for notifying quota expiry to prepaid subscribers - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for notifying a prepaid subscriber of quota exhaustion is provided to notify a subscriber of a prepaid service of the quota exhaustion, particularly a method of charging quotas on the basis of packets, while the subscriber is using a data call, thereby obtaining continuity of a wireless data service. Authentication usage is determined between an MS(Mobile Station)(10) which is a prepaid subscriber and a PDSN(Packet Data Serving Node)(60), authentication is progressed with subscriber profiles, IP(Internet Protocol) control is conducted, and an IP address is allocated to the MS(10)(110). The MS(10) is registered in the PDSN(60) with an SIP(Session Initiation Protocol)(120). The MS(10) monitors a transceived datagram to subtract quotas as much as a prepaid amount. If the quotas expire, the PDSN(60) notifies the MS(10) of the quota exhaustion as well as an address capable of charging the quotas through the SIP(130).

Description

How to notify prepaid subscribers about running out of balance {Method for Notifying Quota Expiry to Prepaid Subscribers}

1 is a block diagram of a mobile communication packet data network in which a prepaid service balance exhaustion notification method according to the present invention is implemented;

2 is a flowchart of a packet data service in which a prepaid service balance exhaustion notification method according to the present invention is implemented;

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wireless communication technology, and more particularly, to a method of notifying a prepaid subscriber of a balance in a wireless packet data network in a packet-based manner.

In a wireless packet data network, a prepaid service refers to providing a communication service as much as a quota amount to a prepaid subscriber who has prepaid a data usage fee. Prepaid service that provides packet data service is linked with Packet Data Service Node (PDSN), which is a packet data network, and Prepaid Server (PPS) and Authentication Server (AAA: Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) server. Is done.

In the conventional prepaid service, when the prepaid subscriber is using the data call and the balance is exhausted and no longer receives the service, the prepaid subscriber is notified through a short message service (SMS) and then sent to the representative number that the subscriber can recharge (voice call). ) To induce the balance filling. However, this conventional method has a disadvantage in that there is no continuity of the wireless data service because the prepaid subscriber does not coincide with the point of time for receiving the service and the induction of the balance charge, and the prepaid subscriber can end the data service and switch to the voice call. There is this.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for notifying a subscriber of a prepaid service of running out of balance while using a data call.

Another object of the present invention is to ensure continuity of wireless data services by notifying the method of packet-based charging of balance exhaustion.

The method according to the present invention is a method of notifying a prepaid subscriber of the balance exhaustion, and determining whether to use authentication between the mobile terminal, which is a prepaid subscriber, and a packet data service node (PDSN), proceeding authentication with a subscriber profile, and performing IP control. PPP negotiation, assigning an IP address to the terminal, subscribing to the PDSN with the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and monitoring the datagrams transmitted and received by the mobile terminal, the amount paid in advance by the mobile terminal. Subtracting the number of quotas, and when the balance of the quota is exhausted, the PDSN notifies the mobile terminal that the balance has been exhausted, and the SIP notifies the address for charging the quota.

The method according to the present invention controls a prepaid packet data service for a mobile terminal and prepaid service (PPS) server for managing a prepaid account, authenticating the subscriber's network connection, and storing subscriber's usage statistics for billing. It can be performed in the data network including AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) server. In the present invention, the PDSN manages the radio packet interface between the base station and the IP network by performing link layer establishment, maintenance, and termination procedures for the mobile terminal, terminates the PPP session initiated by the subscriber, and provides an IP address to the mobile terminal. In the SIP notification step, a notification in accordance with the XML grammar in the payload is provided to the mobile terminal.

Embodiment

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

1 is a block diagram of a mobile communication packet data network in which a prepaid service balance exhaustion notification method according to the present invention is implemented, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a packet data service in which a prepaid service balance exhaustion notification method according to the present invention is implemented.

First, referring to FIG. 1, a mobile communication packet data network includes a mobile terminal 10 (MS: Mobile Station), a base station 20 (RN: Radio Node), a VLR (30, Visitor Location Register), and an SS7 network 40 (Signaling System 7). Network (HLR), Home Location Register (HLR) 50, Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) 70, Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RAIDUS) 65, Internet Protocol Network (IP) 70 , A PPS (PrePaid Service) server 80, an AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) server 90, and a home agent 100 (HA: Home Agent). The mobile communication packet data network shown in FIG. 1 is a data network according to the "CDMA 2000 Wireless IP Network Standard" of 3GPP2 (Third Generation Partnership Project 2).

The mobile terminal 10, as a mobile client, negotiates with the access network to obtain appropriate radio resources for packet exchange and to determine the state of the radio resources (e.g., active state, stand-by state, dormant). Keep track of the status). When the mobile terminal 10 is turned on, the mobile terminal 10 automatically registers with the HLR 50 through the VLR 30 and the SS7 network 40 to perform an authentication procedure for a network to be connected to, and displays the current location of the mobile terminal in the HLR 50. ) And informs the base station 20 what functions the mobile terminal 10 can perform. If this registration procedure is successful, the mobile terminal 10 is ready for voice calls and data calls. The mobile terminal 10 may receive a wireless data service using a circuit-switched data (CSD) method or a packet-switched data (PSD) method. The present invention focuses on a wireless data service based on a packet data method. It is.

In the wireless packet data service, a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session must be established between the mobile terminal 10 and the PDSN 60 for each data session. PPP is a protocol for providing octet-based data regardless of a higher layer, and a PPP session defines a period of time for which a service is maintained between the mobile terminal 10 and the PDSN 60. The PPP session is maintained even when the mobile terminal 10 is in a dormant state. If the mobile terminal 10 is connected to the same PDSN 60 even when the mobile terminal 10 is handed off to another base station 20, the PPP session is maintained. do. PPP of CDMA wireless data mainly uses synchronous PPP and is similar to HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) structure.

The base station 20 is represented as a radio node (RN) in FIG. 1, which is a configuration equivalent to a base station (BS), which is an RP interface (user packet data and signals occurring between the base station 20 and the PDSN 60). Interface of signaling message] is the same as PCF (Packet Control Function).

The PDSN 60 is a gateway for the base station 20 to enter a public packet network or a private packet network, and operates as a single NAS (Network Access Server) in a simple IP network, In a mobile IP network, it may be configured as a home agent (HA) or a foreign agent (FA). The PDSN 60 manages the radio packet interface between the base station 20 and the IP network 70 by performing link layer establishment, maintenance, and termination procedures for the mobile client 10, and establishes a PPP session initiated by the subscriber. Terminate, provide IP address to the wireless subscriber, perform packet routing for the external packet data network or HA (100), forward the packet charging data, received from the PPS server 80 and AAA server 90 The subscriber's service is dynamically managed based on the profile information.

The PPS server 80 controls the prepaid packet data service for the prepaid client and manages the prepaid account for the user (prepaid client) via the second RADIUS 85. Prepaid accounts can be maintained on a per-user or per-service type basis for a user.

The AAA server 90 authenticates the subscriber's network connection via the third RADIUS 95 and stores the subscriber's usage statistics for billing.

The HA (100, Home Agent) supports seamless data roaming, provides an anchor IP address to the mobile terminal, and delivers traffic for the mobile terminal to an appropriate network. The HA 100 also maintains user registration and sends data packets to the PDSN 60.

In order to receive the packet data service, the mobile terminal 10 must first register with the service wireless network through the A1 interface and then register with the packet network through the A10 / A11 interface. The mobile terminal 10 sends an origination message to the base station 20 including a packet data service option. Then, traffic channel allocation, A10 connection establishment, link layer (PPP) establishment, mobile IP registration, and the like are made. This allows user data traffic to pass through the A10 connection, where the PCF 20 periodically sends an A11 registration request message (“A11 Registration Request” in FIG. 2) to the PDSN 60 while the A10 connection is maintained. Re-register.

When the PDSN 60 receives the request (A11 Registration Request) from the PCF 20, the PDSN 60 confirms that the initial call is connected and performs a normal response (A11 Registration Reply). The PPP negotiation 110 then follows, where the PPP negotiation 110 can be performed with Link Control Protocol (LCP) (Link Control), Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) or Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) (authentication) as shown in FIG. ), And IPCP (Internet Protocol Control Protocol) (IP Control) are largely composed of three steps. In the LCP negotiation step, it is determined whether to use authentication. At this time, using the CHAP or PAP, the MS 10 authenticates the subscriber profile of the AAA server 90 through the PDSN 60. Attributes not defined in the RADIUS standard protocol can be defined separately for each standardization organization and manufacturer. For example, among the attributes exchanged between the PDSN 60 and the AAA 90, the prepaid service-related parameters PPAC ( PrePaid Accounting Capability (PPAQ) and PrePaid Accounting Quota (PPAQ) are attributes defined separately in 3GPP2. There are many other attributes, collectively called Vendor Specific Attributes (VSA).

The MS and PDSN establish a link layer (PPP) connection and assign an IP address to the terminal through this link layer connection and through a simple IP procedure. Once the IP address is assigned, the mobile terminal 10 can send and receive data via the A10 connection. The mobile terminal 10 may further proceed with the mobile IP negotiation through the HA (100). In this PPP negotiation, even if no authentication, an access request message (Access-Request) is transmitted to the second RADIUS 85 / PPS 80 server to receive an access-accept. If the subscriber profile is prepaid, the PDSN 60 receives the Pre-Paid Accounting Quota (PPAQ) and starts a real-time deduction.

The PDSN 60 assigns an IP to the MS 10 through IPCP (Internet Protocol Control Protocol) negotiation.

As indicated by step 120 of FIG. 2, MS 10 subscribes to PDSN 60 with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) (subscriber) and the PDSN responds with SIP. SIP is a standard protocol for initiating, modifying, or terminating interactive user sessions, developed by the IETF Multiparty Multimedia Session Control (MMUSIC) Working Group. SIP is a peer-to-peer protocol, an early version defined in RFC 2543.

When the SIP subscription procedure 120 ends, the PDSN 60 sends a message (Offline-Accounting Request) to the third RADIUS 95 to indicate the start of charging.

The PDSN 60 monitors the IP datagram transmitted and received by the MS 10, sends an online RADIUS connection request (PPAQ) message to the second RADISU 85 at the end of the quarter, and receives an online RADIUS connection response message to deduct the real time. . The quota may deduct the entire quota paid in advance by the prepaid subscriber at once, or may deduct a portion of the entire quota and repeat the PPAQ message transmission at the end of some quotas. The procedure shown in Figure 2 illustrates the latter case.

When the user's balance is exhausted, the second RADIUS 86 sends an online RADIUS access request message (Access-Request (without PPAQ Attributes)) in association with the PPS server 80.

In a next step 130, PDSN 60 informs MS 10 that the balance has been exhausted. At this time, an address (for example, a homepage URL) for recharging balances is also notified to induce a user to recharge.

Apart from balance exhaustion and balance replenishment induction, the PPP session is terminated. To this end, the PDSN 60 sends an LCP Termination Request message to the MS 10 to terminate the PPP session and sends the A11 to the PCF 20. End the RP session by sending a Registration Update and receiving an A11 Registration Request (Lifetime = 0).

The PDSN 60 notifies the end of charging by sending an Accounting Request (Accounting STOP) message to the third RADIUS 95 server.

In order to implement the SIP subscription procedure 120 and the SIP notification procedure 130 described above, the SIP protocol stack should be mounted on the MS 10 and the PDSN 60. Since the user is provided with real-time URL information that can be recharged even if the PPP session is terminated due to the exhaustion of the balance, the user can immediately recharge the phone without performing a separate voice call conversion operation. In this regard, service continuity is maintained.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, this is intended to be easily understood by those skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is determined by the matters described in the claims, and the embodiments described with reference to the drawings may be modified or modified as much as possible within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, while the previous discussion focused on using SIP for notifying balance exhaustion, if you put other contents according to XML grammar in the payload of the SIP notification, various data such as performances, stocks, or advertisements are packet-based. Can be provided to the mobile terminal.

In addition, although the present invention has been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 with reference to CDMA 1X / EVDO (PDSN-MS), the present invention also applies to WCDMA (GGSN-MS) and CDMA 95A / B (IWF-MS) networks. Applicability of the present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

According to the present invention, it is possible to notify the subscriber of the prepaid service in the course of using the data call, and to notify the method of charging the balance on a packet basis, thereby ensuring the continuity of the wireless data service.

Claims (6)

As a way to notify prepaid subscribers of running out of balance, Determining whether to use authentication between the mobile terminal as a prepaid subscriber and the packet data service node (PDSN), performing authentication with a subscriber profile, and performing IP control, assigning an IP address to the terminal; The mobile terminal joining the PDSN with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); Monitoring the datagrams transmitted and received by the mobile terminal and subtracting the amount prepaid by the mobile terminal; And when the balance of the quota is exhausted, the PDSN notifies the mobile terminal that the balance has been exhausted and informs the SIP of the address to which the quarter can be charged. In claim 1, The method may be implemented in a data network including a PrePaid Service (PPS) server that controls a prepaid packet data service for a mobile terminal and manages a prepaid account. The method of claim 1 or 2, The method is implemented in a data network including an AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) server that authenticates the subscriber's network access and stores the subscriber's usage statistics for billing. How to. The method of claim 1 or 2, The PDSN manages the radio packet interface between the base station and the IP network, terminates the PPP session initiated by the subscriber, and provides an IP address to the mobile terminal by performing link layer establishment, maintenance, and termination procedures for the mobile terminal. A method of notifying a prepaid subscriber of a balance exhaustion. In claim 1, And when the SIP subscription procedure is finished, notifying the prepaid subscriber of the remaining balance, wherein the PDSN notifies the start of charging. In claim 1, And in the SIP notification step, a notice in accordance with an XML grammar in a payload is provided to the mobile terminal.

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