Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/02—Details
  • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/66—Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W12/00—Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
  • H04W12/06—Authentication
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W80/00—Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system and method for providing prepaid WISE network service of multimedia data in mobile communication network. And more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for applying graded billing rates classified by services to the conventional prepaid services to increase the use of the wireless data services.
• a prepaid method in the mobile communication system means a service that a prepaid subscriber who bought a prepaid card corresponding to a predetermined amount of money or paid a certain amount of money for his usage of a wireless data service in advance can use wireless data service to the extent of the amount of prepaid money during a predetermined validity period.
• the conventional prepaid Intelligent Network (hereinafter referred as to IN) system has limitations to apply a real time debiting method with an alternate billing rate to each classified service because of the complexity of real time debiting technologies and the difficulty of embodying the technology.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for providing a prepaid WISE network service of multimedia data in the mobile communication network, wherein the system performs real time debiting with graded billing rates according to services by combining the prepaid IN service with a price plan for multimedia data, and provides a comprehensive way for minimizing loss of billing data.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for providing prepaid WISE network service of multimedia data in the mobile communication network, wherein the system can charge for use of multimedia data with the real-time debiting method from the subscriber's account by periodically transmitting and receiving information of amount used between the billing apparatus and Intelligent Network systems.
• Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for providing prepaid WISE network service of multimedia data in the mobile communication network, wherein the system eliminates increase of system load capacity generated during the process of periodically transmitting and receiving of the information between the billing apparatus and Intelligent Network systems by using a gateway system.
• a method for real-time charging for use of a wireless data service to a prepaid IN subscriber in an Internet Protocol Accounting System (IPAS) of a wireless data service network is characterized by comprising: receiving a START ACCOUNTING REQUEST from a wireless data service apparatus, wherein the wireless data service apparatus is at least one chosen from an InterWorking Function (I F) and a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN); receiving a reporting condition for an amount to use of the wireless data service of the prepaid IN subscriber from a Service Control Point (SCP) or a SCP gateway, wherein the reporting condition is at least one chosen from a predetermined interval of time and a predetermined amount to use of the wireless data service; calculating the used amount of the wireless data service of the prepaid IN subscriber using call signals generated in the wireless data service network; transmitting information of the used amount of the prepaid IN subscriber to
• the predetermined amount to use in the reporting condition is decided correspondingly to the balance account of the prepaid IN subscriber, and number of packets available to use is decided by a service group having the most expensive billing rate per packet if a different billing rate per packet is applied to a plurality of service groups.
• the call signal generated in the wireless data service network is traffic data transmitted to the IPAS by being duplicated by a traffic information transferring apparatus coupled between the wireless data service apparatus and an IP network.
• a method for generating a reporting condition corresponding to information of the used amount for a prepaid IN subscriber in either a Service Control Point (SCP) or a SCP gateway in order to charge on real-time for using the wireless data service to a prepaid IN subscriber is characterized by comprising the steps of: retrieving information of balance account of the prepaid IN subscriber when a REPORTING CONDITION OFFERING REQUEST is received from an Internet Protocol Accounting System (IPAS) or a user terminal is connected to a wireless data service network; calculating number of packets available corresponding to the balance information according to a predetermined billing rate of each service group; fixing a minimum number of packets as the reporting condition among calculated numbers of packets for a plurality of service groups; and transmitting the reporting condition to the IPAS.
• SCP Service Control Point
• SCP gateway in order to charge on real-time for using the wireless data service to a prepaid IN subscriber
• the method further comprises: receiving information of the used amount of the wireless data service of the prepaid IN subscriber from the IPAS; calculating a second balance information corresponding to the prepaid IN subscriber using the information of the used amount; re-calculating number of packets available corresponding to the second balance information according to predetermined billing rates by a plurality of service groups; and re-fixing a minimum number of packets available as the reporting condition for re-transmitting amount to use information when the prepaid IN subscriber's usage amount corresponds to the re-calculated minimum packet amount, after extracting minimum number of packets available among recalculated numbers of packets for a plurality of service groups.
• the reporting condition further comprises the interval of the predetermined time period
• FIG. 1 is an entire schematic diagram of a system for real-time charging for the use of data service to a prepaid IN subscriber in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 3 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 4 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• PCF Packet Control Function
• PDSN Packet Data Serving Node
• IPMS Internet Protocol Accounting System
• the present invention provides alternate billing rates classified by service groups to prepaid services to increase the use of the wireless data service, and minimize the loss of real-time billing data corresponding to the usage of wireless data service by transmitting and receiving information of used amount periodically between a billing apparatus and Intellectual Network (IN) system.
• I Intellectual Network
• FIG. 1 is an entire schematic diagram of a system for real-time charging for the use of data service to a prepaid IN subscriber in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• the system for providing a prepaid-type IN service of multimedia data in accordance with the present invention comprises a PCS eXchange (PCX) 110, a InterWorking Function (IWF) 115, a Packet Control Function (PCF) 120, a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) 125, a Internet Protocol Accounting System (IPAS) 130, a Service Control Point (SCP) gateway 135, a Service Control Point (SCP) 140, a Service Switching Point (SSP) 143 and an Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server 145.
• PCX PCS eXchange
• IWF InterWorking Function
• PCF Packet Control Function
• PDSN Packet Data Serving Node
• IPAS Internet Protocol Accounting System
• SCP Service Control Point
• SCP Service Control Point
• SSP Service Switching Point
• AAA Authentication Authorization and Accounting
• the PCX 110 is an apparatus for performing a function of processing a basic service and value-added services, a function of processing in-bound call and out-bound call, a function of performing a subscriber's location registration process and a hand- off process, and a function of coupling one network to other networks
• the PCX 110 may comprise an Access Switching Subsystem (ASS), an Interconnection Network Subsystem (INS), a Central Control Subsystem (CCS), a Location Registration Control Subsystem (LRS) and the like.
• ASS Access Switching Subsystem
• INS Interconnection Network Subsystem
• CCS Central Control Subsystem
• LRS Location Registration Control Subsystem
• the IWF 115 is a wireless data apparatus for interconnecting between a mobile communication system and a PSTN/Internet.
• the PCF 120 packetizes call data received from a user terminal (e.g., a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (FDA), a notebook computer and the like) through a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) (not shown) / a Base Station Controller (BSC) (not shown) in order to perform a packet communication using the call data, or converts packet data received from the FDSN 125 into wireless data for transmitting to the user terminal.
• a user terminal e.g., a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (FDA), a notebook computer and the like
• BTS Base Transceiver Station
• BSC Base Station Controller
• the FDSN 125 provides data services to the user terminal according to subscriber's information corresponding to the user terminal received from the IN system comprising the SCP 140 and the AAA server 145 connected by the IP network.
• the FDSN 125, the SCP 140 and the AAA server 145 are interconnected by the IP network or IP backbone network. It is natural that they can be interconnected directly as shown in FIG. 1.
• the IPAS 130 performs the billing process according to the predetermined rule by collecting the data transmitted and received between the IWF 115 and/or the FDSN 125 and the IP network and analyzing the collected data. That is, the IPAS 130 performs the billing process for all calls created in a data network, a graded billing rate function for the use of various data services, and a call control function.
• the IPAS 130 can comprise an Internet Protocol Accounting Filter (IPAF) (not shown), an Internet Protocol Accounting Manager (IP AM) (not shown), and the like.
• IPAF Internet Protocol Accounting Filter
• IP AM Internet Protocol Accounting Manager
• the IPAF receives traffic data from a Billing Dstribution Function (BDF) (not shown) that duplicates traffic data transmitted and received between the IWF 115 and/ or the FDSN 125 and the IP network and transmits the duplicated traffic data to the IPAF, and performs the data collection and billing according to the rules determined by the subscriber session through analyzing the received traffic data.
• BDF Billing Dstribution Function
• the IP AM performs functions of collecting information for billing, call processing, generating and transferring billing information, and IN service processing by interconnecting with the IWF 115, the FDSN 125, the IPAF, the AAA server 145, the SCP 140 and the like, in order to apply to the respective graded billing rate according to services.
• the IPAS 130 can be not only consisted of the separated IPAF and the separated IPAF
• IP AM but also formed as one apparatus performing the all functions of the IPAF and the IPAM
• the IN service according to the present invention means a prepaid service as a service among a plurality of telecommunication services for performing new various services promptly and correctly in mobile telecommunication service.
• the IN system may be consisted of a transport network layer, a signaling network layer and a service network layer.
• the service network layer comprises the SCP 140
• the transport network layer comprises the SSP 143.
• the SCP gateway 135 receives a usage data corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the IPAS 130, in order to reduce load of the SCP 140 and process billing to the subscriber.
• the SCP 140 retrieves IN information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from an IN information database (not shown), and transmits the retrieved IN information to the SSP 145.
• the SSP 145 receives INITIAL CONNECTION REQUEST INFORMATION
• the AAA 145 determines whether or not the prepaid subscriber is the prepaid IN service subscriber (i.e., a subscriber that uses wireless data service after paying a certain amount of money in advance) by using subscriber database (not shown) correspondingly to PREPAID SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to transmit information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber) received from the FDSN 125.
• subscriber database not shown
• PREPAID SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION REQUEST i.e., a request for requesting to transmit information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber
• the AAA 145 transmits DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to offer detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber) to the SCP 140 and receives detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the SCP 140.
• DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST i.e., a request for requesting to offer detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber
• the prepaid IN service system of multimedia data can further comprise a billing processing apparatus for billing total service charges using billing data corresponding to the use of wireless data services and balance deduction data processed by the IPAS 130, the SCP gateway 135, the SCP 140, the AAA 145 and the like.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 illustrates procedures of call processing and billing processing in case that a prepaid IN subscriber requests the FDSN 125 as an end-point to transmit data.
• the FDSN 125 receives out-bound call signals from a user terminal 203 of the prepaid subscriber who wants to use a wireless data service (step 210).
• the FDSN 215 transmits an AUTHENTICATION AND AUTHORIZATION REQUEST for the user terminal 203 to the AAA server 145.
• the AAA server 145 determines whether or not the prepaid subscriber is the prepaid IN subscriber by retrieving from a subscriber database (not shown) using user terminal information (e.g., an ID of the mobile phone and the like) in the AUTHENTICATION AND AUTHORIZATION REQUEST of the prepaid subscriber received from the FDSN 125.
• the AAA server 145 transmits a DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to offer the detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135 (step 220).
• the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST may comprise Mobile Identification Number (MIN) information, initial connection information and the like.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits an AUTHENTICATION REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (step 222), and receives an authentication result corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the SCP 140 (step 224).
• the balance information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber can be used in the authentication process for the prepaid subscriber performed by the SCP 140.
• the SCP 140 can acquire the balance information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber, calculate number of packets available using a tariff table, and transmit the detailed information (e.g., IN information, the packet amount available and the like) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135.
• the SCP 140 retrieves detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber retrieved from an IN information database (not shown) correspondingly to the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST received from the AAA server 145, and transmits the retrieved detailed information to the SCP gateway 135.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits the detailed information and the authentication result received from the SCP 140 and the like to the AAA server 145 (step 225).
• the AAA 145 transmits an AUTHENTICATION AND AUTHORIZATION
• RESPONSE i.e., Subsinfo Response
• SCP 140 the SCP 140 to the PDSN 125 (step 230).
• the AUTHENTICATION AND AUTHORIZATION RESPONSE may comprise an information processing result field, a subscriber's detailed information field and an Access Denied Reason (ADR) field 520.
• ADR Access Denied Reason
• the information processing result field is a field for indicating whether or not the process of the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber is accomplished properly, and the ADR field is a field for indicating reasons when the process of the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber is not accomplished properly.
• the subscriber's detailed information field is a field for indicating the detailed information of the subscriber, and comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN) field, an AUTH field, a service classification code (WIN code) field, a PRICE_PLAN field, a WIN_CALL_ID field, a SVC_TYPE (Switched Virtual Connection Type) field, a USBL_TIME field, a USBL_PACKET field and so on.
• VPN Virtual Private Network
• AUTH a service classification code
• WIN code service classification code
• PRICE_PLAN PRICE_PLAN
• WIN_CALL_ID a service classification code
• SVC_TYPE Switchched Virtual Connection Type
• USBL_TIME USBL_TIME
• USBL_PACKET USBL_TIME
• the PPP connection is established between the PDSN 115 and the user terminal 203 (at step 235).
• the FDSN 115 transmits a START ACCOUNTING REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to start account) corresponding to use of wireless data service and so on to the IPAS 130.
• the START ACCOUNTING REQUEST may comprise Mobile Identification Number (MIN) information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the FDSN, IN information and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits a TRANSMISSION INTERVAL REQUEST
• the SCP 140 or the SCP gateway 135 After either the SCP 140 or the SCP gateway 135 generates the transmission interval information for receiving the usage amount information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the IPAS 130, it transmits the generated transmission interval information to the IPAS 130 (step 250).
• the SCP 140 can transmit the transmission interval information to the IPAS 130 right after the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber is received from the AAA 145 even if the TRANSMISSION INTERVAL REQUEST is not received from the IPAS 140.
• the transmission interval information may be periodical time information or predetermined usage amount. Also, the transmission interval information may be combination of the periodical time information and the predetermined usage amount.
• the usage amount information calculated by the SCP 140 is transmitted to the IPAS 130 , and fixed as a minimum number of packets available corresponding to the balance among numbers of packets calculated according to a plurality of service groups in a predetermined tariff table.
• the transmission interval information can be set that amount available to use is 80 Bytes.
• Time information for directing to transmit the prepaid subscriber's usage amount information of the wireless data service periodically even though the total usage amount available is not exhausted can be further provided to prevent the loss of the billing data due to system failure and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits a response message corresponding to the start accounting message to the PDSN 115.
• User data e.g., a data transmission request, a URL connection request
• web data e.g., a data transmission request, a URL connection request
• the IPAS 130 performs a billing process by using information corresponding to data transmitted and received through the application server 206 (at step 265).
• the IPAS 130 can further use the traffic data between the PDSN 125 and the application server 206 that are duplicated by the Billing Dstribution Function (BDF) and received from the BDF.
• BDF Billing Dstribution Function
• the IPAS 130 transmits the usage amount information (e.g., usage amount information by service groups) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135 if the usage amount information corresponds to the transmission interval received through step 250.
• the SCP gateway 140 transmits new refill information (i.e., information indicative of additional money being added to his account) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the IPAS 130 if the new refill information exists (step 275).
• a balance deduction response received from the SCP 140 can be transmitted along with the new refill information or separately.
• Step 275 can comprise a step of the SCP gateway 135 transmitting the usage amount information to the SCP 140, a step of the SCP 140 deducting the charge corresponding to the usage amount information from the balance, and a step of the SCP 140 transmitting the balance deduction response and/or the new refill information to the SCP gateway 135.
• the price plan using graded billing rates according to service groups can be applied to the prepaid subscriber and real-time balance deduction can be performed by step 270 through step 275.
• the SCP gateway 135 (or the SCP 140) can transmit information corresponding to a new transmission interval to the IPAS 130 after generating the new transmission interval corresponding to the prepaid subscriber.
• the usage amount available is fixed as 80 Bytes because it was calculated by using a service group C having the most expensive billing rate and the calculated usage amount is comprised in a first transmission interval.
• the IPAS 130 will transmit the used amount information of the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (or the SCP gateway 135) because the used amount corresponds to the usage amount available in the first transmission interval. But, the balance corresponding to the prepaid subscriber is totally exhausted yet. Therefore, the SCP 140 (or SCP gateway 135) transmits a second transmission interval after generating the second transmission interval corresponding to the remaining balance using graded billing rates by service groups.
• the usage amount available comprised in the second transmission interval may be smaller than the usage amount available comprised in the first transmission interval if the new refill information does not exist.
• the present invention can minimize load of system because the process of balance deduction is performed after the usage amount available in the transmission interval is satisfied. But, the process of balance deduction will be performed by steps as follow, if the prepaid subscriber ends the use of wireless data service before the usage amount available in the transmission interval is satisfied.
• the FDSN receives a SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to disconnect established session) from the user terminal 203 (step 280)
• the FDSN 125 transmits a STOP ACCOUNTING REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to stop accounting) to the IPAS 130 (step 283).
• the SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUESTSESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the user terminal 203, IN information, IP address information of the FDSN, a release indicator, usage amount information and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits the response corresponding to the SESSION DIS ⁇
• the usage amount information may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, IN information, usage amount information by categories and the like.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits a BALANCE DEDUCTION REQUEST (i.e., a request for requesting to deduct charge from the account) corresponding to the data service usage amount information of the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (step 290), and then receives a BALANCE DEDUCTION RESPONSE (e.g., billing data comprising information of an amount of money, balance information, new refill information and the like) from the SCP 140 (step 292).
• a BALANCE DEDUCTION REQUEST i.e., a request for requesting to deduct charge from the account
• BALANCE DEDUCTION RESPONSE e.g., billing data comprising information of an amount of money, balance information, new refill information and the like
• a step of the SCP 140 deducting the charge corresponding to the usage amount information from the balance and a step of the SCP 140 transmitting the balance deduction response and/or the new refill information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135 can be further comprised.
• the IPAS 130 receives the balance deduction response and/or the new refill information from the SCP gateway 135 if the new refill information exists (step 293).
• the new refill information can be transmitted along with a balance deduction response received from the SCP 140 or separately.
• a billing request and a response message are transmitted and received between the IPAS 130 and the AAA 145. And then, the AAA 145 transmits a charge file to the billing processing apparatus 209 (or any other apparatus in the IN system) at step 299.
• the case that the balance is exhausted during the use of wireless data service and/or the balance is already exhausted at an initial connection stage may be if the subscriber is the prepaid subscriber.
• the case that the balance is exhausted during the use of wireless data service will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
• the processes performed by the FDSN 125, the IPAS 130, the SCP gateway 135 and the SCP 140 are described in case that the balance is already exhausted at an initial connection stage.
• the IDSN 125 transmits an A UTHENTICATION AND AU ⁇
• the AAA 140 transmits a DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135.
• the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, initial connection information and the like.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits balance exhaustion information (i.e., detailed in- formation corresponding to the prepaid subscriber) indicative of being totally exhausted all balance to the AAA 145 after recognizing the exhaustion of the prepaid subscriber's balance using the balance information acquired by co-working with the SCP 140.
• balance exhaustion information i.e., detailed in- formation corresponding to the prepaid subscriber
• ADR balance_exhaust') corresponding to the A UTHENTICATION AND AUTHORIZATION REQUEST to the FDSN 125 using the detailed information received from the SCP gateway 135.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 illustrates in case that a FDSN as an end-point of PPP establishment performs the session disconnection when the balance is exhausted (i.e., the account balance falls to zero) during the prepaid IN service subscriber's use of the wireless data service.
• the explanation about step 310 through step 353 shown in FIG. 3 shall be omitted because they are the same as step 210 through step 265 shown in FIG. 2.
• a IPAS 130 transmits the prepaid subscriber's usage amount (e.g., usage amount information by categories) to a SCP gateway 135 after performing a billing process by using information corresponding to data transmitted and received through the application server 206.
• usage amount e.g., usage amount information by categories
• the IPAS 130 transmits the BALANCE DEDUCTION REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber's usage amount of wireless data service to a SCP 140 (step 359).
• the usage amount information transmitted to the SCP 140 may comprise MIN information of a user terminal 203, IN information, usage amount by categories and the like.
• the FDSN 125 transmits a response message corresponding to the SERVICE RE ⁇
• the FDSN 125 transmits the SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST to the
• the SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the PDSN, IN information, a release indicator, usage amount information and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits a response message corresponding to the SESSION DIS ⁇
• the IPAS 130 transmits and receives a billing request and a response message to and from an AAA 145 (step 386), and transmits a charge file to a billing processing apparatus 209 (step 389).
• FIG. 4 illustrates a data flow for a procedure of a call processing for requesting data of a prepaid IN subscriber and a procedure of a billing processing in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 illustrates procedures of call processing and billing processing in case that a prepaid IN subscriber requests an InterWorking Function (IWF) as an end- point to transmit data.
• IWF InterWorking Function
• a PCS exchange (PCX) 110 receives an out-bound call signals from the user terminal 203 of the prepaid subscriber who wants to use a wireless data service (step 413), and transmits an LSUP message for establishing PPP connection to an InterWorking Function (IWF) 115 (step 416).
• IWF InterWorking Function
• the PCX 110 can be divided into an out-bound PCX and an in-bound PCX, and each of the PCXs can perform respective process.
• step 416 comprises a step that the PCX 110 transmits an INITIAL CONNECTION REQUEST signal corresponding to the out-bound call signal to a SSP 143, a step that the SSP 143 requires a SCP 140 to transmit IN information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber, a step that the SCP 140 retrieves the IN information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber, a step that the SCP 140 transmits the retrieved IN information to the SSP 143, a step that the SSP 143 transmits a data service request signal to the IWF 115 directly (or through the PCX 110) after receiving the IN information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the SCP 140, and the like.
• the PPP connection is established between the IWF 115 and the user terminal 203 through the PCX 110.
• the IWF 115 transmits a START ACCOUNTING REQUEST corresponding to usage of wireless data service to the IPAS 130 (step 423).
• the START ACCOUNTING REQUEST may comprise Mobile Identification Number (MIN) information of the user terminal 203, IN information, IP address information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the IWF 115 and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits a response message corresponding to the START
• the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST may comprise MIN information, IN information request, IWF information and the like.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits an AUTHENTICATION REQUEST corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (step 433), and receives an authentication result corresponding to the AUTHENTICATION REQUEST from the SCP 140 (step 436).
• balance information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber can be used in the authentication process for the prepaid subscriber performed by the SCP 140.
• the SCP 140 (or SCP gateway 135) can acquire the balance information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber, calculate the packet amounts available using a tariff table, generate the detailed information (e.g., IN information, the packet amount available and the like can be comprised) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber by using the calculated packet amounts, and transmit the detailed information to the IPAS 130.
• the SCP 140 retrieves detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber retrieved from an IN information database (not shown) correspondingly to the DETAILED INFORMATION OFFERING REQUEST received from the IPAS 130, and transmits the retrieved detailed information to the SCP gateway 135.
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits the detailed information and the authentication result received from the SCP 140 and the like to the IPAS 130 (step 439).
• the IPAS 130 transmits a TRANSMISSION INTERVAL REQUEST for transmitting usage amount information to the SCP 140 (or the SCP gateway 135).
• the SCP 140 (or the SCP gateway 135) generates the transmission interval information for receiving the usage amount information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the IPAS 130, it transmits the generated transmission interval information to the IPAS 130 (step 446).
• the SCP 140 (or the SCP gateway 135) can transmit the transmission interval information to the IPAS 130 at arbitrary step (e.g., a step of providing detailed information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber), even if the TRANSMISSION INTERVAL REQUEST is not received from the IPAS 140.
• user data e.g., a data transmission request, a URL connection request and the like
• web data e.g., multimedia data
• the IPAS 130 performs a billing process by using information corresponding to data transmitted and received through the application server 206 (at step 453).
• the IPAS 130 can further use the traffic data duplicated by the Billing Dstribution Function (BDF) and received from the BDF.
• BDF Billing Dstribution Function
• the IPAS 130 transmits the usage amount information (e.g., usage amount information by service groups) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber if the usage amount information are in accord with the transmit interval information received through step 446.
• the IPAS 130 receives new refill information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the SCP gateway 135 if the new refill information exists.
• a balance deduction response can be transmitted along with the new refill information or separately.
• the step that the SCP 140 deducts a sum of money from the balance correspondingly to the usage amount of wireless data service, and the step that the SCP 140 transmits the balance deduction response and/or the new refill information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber to the SCP gateway 135 can be further comprised.
• the price plan using graded billing rate according to service groups can be applied to the prepaid subscriber and real-time balance deduction can be performed by step 456 through step 459.
• the SCP 140 (or the SCP gateway 135) can generate new transmission interval information corresponding to the prepaid subscriber by using the remaining balance, and transmit the new transmission interval information to the IPAS 130.
• the PCX 110 receives a SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST from the user terminal 203 while the balance corresponding to the subscriber remains (i.e., the balance is not exhausted totally) at the step 463, the PCX 110 transmits an IS UP message to the IWF 115 in order to direct to disconnect the established PPP connection between the user terminal 203 and the IWF 115.
• the IWF 115 transmits a SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST to the IPAS 130.
• the SESSION DISCONNECTION REQUEST may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the user terminal 203, IP address information of the IWF, a release indicator and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits a response message corresponding to the stop accounting message to the IWF 115 (step 476), and transmits the data service usage amount information of the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (step 479).
• the SCP gateway 135 transmits a BALANCE DEDUCTION REQUEST corresponding to the data service usage amount information of the prepaid subscriber to the SCP 140 (step 481), and receives a balance deduction response (e.g., billing data comprising information of an amount of money, remaining balance information, new refill information and the like) from the SCP 140 (step 483).
• a balance deduction response e.g., billing data comprising information of an amount of money, remaining balance information, new refill information and the like
• the IPAS 130 receives the balance deduction response (e.g., billing data comprising information of an amount of money, the remaining balance information, new refill information) corresponding to the prepaid subscriber from the SCP gateway 135.
• the data service usage amount information may comprise MIN information of the user terminal 203, IN information, usage amount by categories and the like.
• the IPAS 130 transmits and receives a billing request and a response message to and from the AAA 145 (step 489).
• the cases that the balance is exhausted during the use of wireless data service and/or the balance is already exhausted at an initial connection stage may be if the subscriber is the prepaid subscriber.
• the processes performed by the IWF 115, the IPAS 130 and the SCP 140 are described.
• the system and method according to the present invention can charge with a graded billing rate according to services on real-time by combination of a prepaid IN service and a price plan for multimedia data, and provide a comprehensive way for minimizing the loss of billing data.
• the present invention can real-time deduct a charge corresponding to the used amount of multimedia data from the subscriber's account by periodically transmitting and receiving usage amount information between a billing apparatus and Intelligent Network systems.
• the present invention can solve the problem associated with increase of system load capacity created during the process of periodically transmitting and receiving of usage amount information between a billing apparatus and Intelligent Network systems by using a gateway system.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• 2003
  • 2003-02-10 KR KR10-2003-0008188A patent/KR100509936B1/ko active IP Right Grant
• 2004
  • 2004-02-10 WO PCT/KR2004/000260 patent/WO2004071012A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2004-02-10 CN CN2004800031502A patent/CN1745539B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

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