FI107102B - Method for reporting call costs and subscriber unit - Google Patents

Description

107102

A method for reporting call costs and a subscriber unit

The invention relates to a method for indicating the cost of a call.

A feature of radio networks is that radio communication allows subscribers to move freely across the network and even from one national network to another, such as the new pan-European digital cellular telephone system GSM. For example, a Finnish subscriber may be traveling in England and connected to the system through the national network of that country. In this case, if another Finnish subscriber attempts to reach a subscriber in England, the call will have to be routed from Finland via the Swedish and Norwegian networks to England, for example, and the total cost of the call will be affected by the charges for all these networks. This may surprise the subscriber in the form of a large call charge unless the subscriber knows how to prepare for it. Therefore, for example, the calling subscriber would generally like to know in advance how much he or she will be charged for the call, which he would only find out by knowing the location of the called subscriber. On the other hand, most subscribers do not want anyone even 25 places with little to know any whereabouts, so existing systems have introduced the principle that the impact on the calling party is charged independent of the called party to-• · · * · *; luxury location. Called party movement * • Call costs incurred will be charged from the called sub- • · · 30 side. On the other hand, he cannot know in advance, either. where the calling party is located and therefore do not estimate the cost of the call.

• i ··· * Current cellular networks provide so-called. computation: advice of charge, which allows • «35 widescreen devices to display the cost of a call in real time. Radio technology is increasingly sought to be transferred to the traditional public telephone network, so-called. to replace the leased line with a radio connection. Also the so-called subscribers. "Roaming" will also be a feature of the public switched telephone network in the long run, with the problem being that subscribers of the 5 traditional fixed dial-up networks may not be used to it. The cost of the call or the unit cost may be higher than what the subscriber is prepared for.

An object of the present invention is to improve the ability of subscribers to influence call costs in advance.

Another object of the invention is to allow for a more flexible distribution of call charges between A and B subscribers.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by a method in which a calling subscriber sends a call request to a fixed network including a called subscriber number and characterized in that the fixed network estimates the cost or cost level of the / or based on the location of the called subscriber, the fixed network sends the estimated cost or cost level of the call to the subscriber who would be charged for the 25 calls, at least if the estimated cost or cost level is not within the allowable cost range. • · the cost or cost level of the call is shown to 30 subscribers and sent to the fixed network as confirmation messages if the subscriber wishes to continue making the call, • · ... after receiving the confirmation s request or otherwise stop the call setup permanently.

The invention also relates to a communication system according to claim 10.

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The basic idea of the present invention is that the subscriber who is charged for a call is informed in advance of the cost of the call before even establishing a connection to another subscriber. The calculation data neu-5 function of the invention is a subscriber-specific function that can be activated by the subscriber to be permanent or individually for each call. When a subscriber who has activated the accounting information advisory function wants to make a call, he / she performs the normal selection and the subscriber-selected number information is transmitted in the 10 normal way over the fixed network. Based on the location of the calling subscriber and / or the called subscriber, the network estimates the total cost of the call, the unit cost (FIM / min) or the cost level, which is then always or according to certain criteria communicated to the subscriber. If the price information for the 15 calls is provided to the subscriber, the call set-up will not continue until the subscriber authorizes it by a specific acknowledgment message. The radio network and the fixed network are not yet mobilizing resources at this stage. If the subscriber rejects the call and does not issue an acknowledgment message, the call attempt Lope-20 is called.

The accounting information advisory for A subscriber was described above. If the billing of the call is directed to the called subscriber B, so that the subscriber B pays · ... 'the full cost of the call, including the cost of moving the A-subscriber, the subscriber B may also want the invention. service. In this case, before subscriber B is sent: * ·.! a call set-up estimate of the total cost of the call, the unit cost, or the cost level, leaving the B-• broad to refuse or reject the call if it seems too expensive.

In principle, the · · ... estimation of call costs according to the invention may be based on two criteria: • · 1) real-time call charge information (e.g. FIM / min); or 2) a coarser distinction between tariff levels, eg cheap / expensive tariff on home network.

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Thus, the first option is based on knowing the exact time charge, while the latter option informs the subscriber only of what kind of tariff level the call will follow, e.g. expensive / cheap. The latter 5 information is easier to resolve in real time and, according to the invention, allows the user to consider before re-establishing the call set-up.

In one embodiment of the invention, the blocking function is activated on the subscriber's subscriber data, as a result of which the fixed network 10 does not continue to establish the call even when receiving a confirmation message from the subscriber if the estimated call costs or cost level are not within the cost range set for the subscriber. In other words, this is a computing information advisory service according to the invention, but the call set-up interruption could not be bypassed. In the future, for example, there could be several mobile stations in the same family. In this case, the parents can set the lock feature so that the children can only make a low-cost local call! -20. Similarly, companies can only set a regulation covering a specific area of operation for their employees' mobile devices.

The invention also relates to a subscriber device which handles. calls the display, the number keys and the function keys. The subscriber unit is characterized by the fact that the subscriber unit displays the call information received from the telecommunication network on the display, and that the subscriber unit can be activated by the user by means of said function keys to send a confirmation message to the telecommunication network, will continue to talk-30 snow.

. The invention will now be described, by way of exemplary embodiments of * t> *, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates in principle one of 35 cellular radio systems in which the present invention may be practiced; Figures 2 and 3 illustrate signaling according to the invention; a mobile communication device according to the invention.

The present invention can be applied to any trunking or cellular radio system, such as GSM GSM, Nordic Mobile Telephone, DCT1800, PCN (Personal Communication Network), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), FPLMTS (Future Public Land Mobile Telecommunication System), etc. The invention can also be applied to communication systems supporting personal mobility, e.g., systems providing the Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT) service. In the following, the invention will be described using, for example, a digital GSM mobile communication system. The basic structure and basic functions of the GSM mobile telephone system are well known to those skilled in the art and are defined in the GSM system specifications. Reference is also made to "The GSM System for Mobile Communica-20 tions," by M. Mouly and M-B. Pautet, Palaiseau, France, 1992, ISBN: 2 9507190 0-7.

As is well known, in cellular radio networks, the geographical area covered by the network is subdivided

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to separate radio zones, i.e. cells, so that when in the cell '25, the mobile radio station or mobile station MS communicates with the network over the network via a fixed ····; * · · transceiver station or base station BS. The mobile stations MS included in the system are free to move from one cell to another within the system. However, the cellular radio network must be aware of the location of the mobile radio station MS. in order to route incoming calls to MS or otherwise seek this out. Typically, the cellular network knows the location of the MS · · ··· * with the accuracy of a larger area formed by multiple cells, commonly referred to as the location area.

• · 35 As the system travels through the system, the mobile station performs t> ·

the updates causing the MS in question

• f 6 107102 updating subscriber data in subscriber databases in a cellular radio network. For example, in the GSM system illustrated in Figure 1, the cellular radio network includes at least a home location register HLR, visitor location registers VLR, mobile-5 link switching centers MSC and base station controllers BSC connected to network base stations BTS. Each base station controller BSC and associated base stations BTS form a base station system BSS. The location area information of the mobile station MS is stored in the visitor location register VLR, which is typically 10 one per mobile switching center MSC, while the HLR knows which VLR area the MS is in. Unlike the centralized database structure described above as an example, a cellular radio system may also have some sort of distributed database structure. The network shown in Figure 1 may be conceived as a single operator network covering, for example, one country or part thereof. There may be several overlapping networks for different operators in the same country. Such a network of one operator may be connected to the corresponding networks of other operators in the same or other 20 countries or to other communication systems, such as the public switched telephone network PSTN, through a dedicated transit center GMSC. This can provide, for example, a pan-European mobile communication system where a subscriber who has contracted with one operator i · i can use the mobile station in addition to its home network in the network of any other operator. The subscriber may be fixedly bound to a particular »a · ·; * ·, · mobile station, such as NMT, but the subscriber may also» freely register with any subscriber unit.

such as GSM subscriber module SIM

♦ · · 30 (Subscriber identification module). In this case, for example, a Finnish subscriber may travel to England and use the services of the] * system from there. Similarly, he is constantly on the lookout for another Finnish subscriber: * ·, · tet hab, who tries to call him thinking that he is still in Finland. Now the system only routes the call from Finland in a suitable way, for example to Sweden and t II (7 107102

Via Norwegian networks, to another subscriber's actual presence in England. In this case, the A-subscriber may never know that he has called in England.

However, it is clear that the cost of a call is completely different if a subscriber makes or receives calls instead of a Finnish home network, for example in England. In addition, there may be different tariff areas within a single operator's network. In other words, the cost of a single call depends on the relative location of the A subscriber and the subscriber. On the other hand, neither knows the location of each other in advance and thus cannot estimate the cost of the call before it is incurred. Call billing can be divided into many ways between A and B-ti. It is now common practice for subscriber A to pay the cost of a call insofar as it arises from routing a call from subscriber A to subscriber B's home network, but subscriber B takes care of the additional cost that subscriber B has left his home network. Alternatively, the call cost may be entirely allocated to the A or B subscriber.

The present invention enhances a subscriber's ability to influence the cost of a call in advance. This is achieved in accordance with the invention by informing the subscriber in advance of the cost of the call before the connection to the other subscriber is even established, i.e. costs are incurred. Based on the price information for this call, the subscriber • · · ... ί can either accept or reject the call. In principle, the cost estimate given to the subscriber may be based on either real-time • billing information for the call, such as 30 unit charges for time charging (e.g., USD / min) or relatively coarse rate differentiation.

As operators strive for ever more versatile and, ···, more flexible tariff structures, it may become difficult over time to settle a call at real time \! 3 5 will be billed. This is because the cost of a call may be influenced by a number of factors beyond the dialed number, such as the time of day or whether a B subscriber belongs to an A subscriber's user group, etc. Such issues will only be resolved later in post-processing of the billing data. For this reason, network operators may not want to offer 5 cost-per-call exact pricing.

Instead, operators can offer different rates depending on where the call is taken from. A residential contract could offer cheap calls within your home area but expensive calls elsewhere. The problem 10 is that, while waiting for a call, the user of the mobile station should know on what tariff basis he will be billed. In that case, he would at least like to be warned that a call is being made instead of a subscriber's cheap basic service at a more expensive rate because of space-15 and has moved out of his home network / zone.

In this case, the subscriber does not necessarily need an accurate minute charge, but information about whether it is in the cheap or expensive tariff zone. This type of coarser tariff information for a call is easier to resolve in real time and is thus very advantageous for use as a present price information, which is provided to the subscriber for consideration before proceeding with the call setup. There may be more than two tariff / cost levels as needed.

There are several application options for the function according to the invention. In one alternative, the fixed network terminates the call set-up and sends the cost or cost level information to the billable mobile station for each call without any criteria if: 30 The additional function of the invention is activated. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, call set-up and cost information are sent to the mobile station, ···, for subscriber approval only when certain criteria 'i' are met. For example, when costs are estimated on the basis of tariff rates, for example, a cheap tariff

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range and expensive tariff range, e.g. the following types of criteria may be used in a fixed network for estimating tariff information in connection with a call set-up: (a) only A subscriber location information determines; or 5 (b) both A and B subscriber location information determines.

Criterion (a) may be applied, for example, as follows: (ai) if a subscriber A is on his home network, then the calculation of a cheap tariff area is applicable; or a2) if subscriber A is outside his home network,

Criterion (b) may be applied, for example, as follows: (b) if subscriber A is on his home network and subscriber B is on the same network, then low-cost tariff calculation is applied; or (b2) subscriber A is on his home network but on B does not apply to low-cost tariff zone calculation; or b3) if subscriber A has roamed outside his home network but subscriber B is within the same network, then low-cost tariff calculation or ... b4) if subscriber A has roamed outside his home network. and in addition, subscriber B is in a different network area than subscriber A, the calculation of the cheap tariff area does not apply.

• »·. **: Referring to Figure 2, an example of the · · ·! V how calculation information and call set-up advisory • · · ': 30 implements it differently based on the differentiation of tariff levels, depending on how criteria a) or b) are applied. Previously mentioned concept that A subscriber and, · * ·. The B subscriber are in the same network, can be generalized so that the A subscriber MSÄ is located either in the area B of the same exchange MSC, 35 the visitor location register VLR or the home location register HLR with the subscriber MSB.

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Example 1: An A-subscriber MSA selects a call to a B-subscriber MSb when the computing information advisory according to the invention is activated and criterion a) is applied, i.e., only the A-subscriber's location information determines. The B-subscriber is in the MSC1 of the same exchange with the A-subscriber. The following steps are then performed: MSC1 receives the call request 1 (Set up) selected by the MSA. The MSC1 sends a request for subscriber parameters 2 to the local visitor location register VLR1, which according to the subscriber data stored by the A-ti-10 wide MS has activated call cost information advice. VLR1 sends a response 3 to MSCl, which also contains information about the activated accounting information advisory. As a result, the MSC, using criterion a) according to the invention, checks at the beginning of the call whether the A-subscriber MSA is in his home network and thus in the low-tariff range. Subscriber A is out of his home network and therefore not in the low-tariff area, as a result of which cost subscriber message 4 is sent to subscriber A and an estimate of the cost of call is provided to the subscriber. If the subscriber accepts the call and sends 20 a confirmation message 5, the MSC1 will continue to establish the call normally. If the A-subscriber does not accept the call and does not send a confirmation message or sends a negative confirmation message, the call set-up is permanently suspended.

Example 2: Subscriber A MS selects a call to B-state MSB when the computational information advisory * · '·' according to the invention is activated and criterion b) is applied, i.e. both A and • · · B state location data are solved . Hereby, with reference to FIG. 3, the following steps are performed: · MS · MSC1 receives the call request 1 (Set up) selected by the A subscriber. The MSC1 sends a request for subscriber parameters of the A-subscriber 2 to the local visitor location register VLR, the subscriber information of which indicates that the calculation information advisory according to the invention is activated. VLR1 sends a response 3 to MSCl which also contains information about said 35 activated functions. The MSC1 then transmits the routing request message 4 to the home location register HLR of the B subscriber MSB.

11 107102 HLR knows the current visitor location register VLR2 of subscriber B. The HLR sends a routing number request message to VLR2, which returns 6 routing numbers in its response.

The HLR sends a message 7 to MSCl containing the re-5 access number and the current visitor location register VLR2 of the B subscriber. Because subscriber A has activated your billing advisory work, MSC1 checks to see if the call will be a low cost or high cost call. This determination can be made, for example, by comparing the current subscriber address 10 (VLR1, MSC1) of the A subscriber with the Baming routing number (VLR2) obtained from the HLR. If the determination is not possible on the basis of this information, in another embodiment of the invention, the HLR sends in a message 7 information related to the B-subscriber's tariff classification, which the MSC1 may use to determine the tariff classification of the speech-15. If both the A and B subscribers are on the same network and hence the so called. in the low-tariff area, MSC1 does not interrupt call setup or send a subscriber A MS calculation message. In other words, call set-up continues in the same manner as in a conventional system.

If subscriber A has switched to a network other than his home network, then the location of subscriber B will determine. If the B-subscriber is within the same network as the A-ti-wide, even if the A-subscriber is not in their home network, then 25 calls will be made to the so-called. in the low-tariff area, whereby MSC1 does not interrupt call setup and send a billing advisory message to the A- ♦ subscriber. In other words: • · ·. * ·: Call setup continues normally.

: *]: Conversely, if Subscriber A is not in his home network 30 and Subscriber B is not within the same network, then the call to be made is defined as a high-cost tariff call, which causes MSC1 to send subscriber information advisory to MSA1. 8 and the mobile station indicates the situation to the user.

*! ' If the user accepts the call, he / she sends a confirmation message to the MSC1, which causes the MSC1 to restart the call setup as normal. If the A-12 107102 Broad does not accept the call because of its expensive price, it will not send a confirmation 9 or send a negative confirmation, whereupon the MSC1 will permanently interrupt the call setup.

The features of the invention may be best utilized in systems such as FPLMTS or UMTS, which will follow the current digital cellular networks.

The difference between these systems and the current ones will be that, for example, location search policies will cover not only the public network but also office and home environments (DCPN and BCPN: Domestic and Business Customer Premises Network) and mobile means of transport (Mobile PBX, or MCPN = Mobile Customer Premises). Network). Another difference will be that in UMTS, a clearer distinction will be made between Call Control Signaling and Bearer Control Signaling. Tariff classification may be finer in UMTS than in current systems due to different operating environments, such as home and office environment, and mobile means of transport: trains, subways, ships, etc.

The present invention requires only minor modifications to a mobile station, which may otherwise be a conventional mobile station suitable for the particular system. For example, in a GSM system, a mobile station MS may be, for example, a GSM model 1011 made by Nokia »· · ...: Mobile Phones. Figure 4 schematically shows a front view of such a handset. Your phone 21 comes with an alphanumer! * LCD display 22, antenna 24, number keys 25 function 30 keys 26, Hang off key 27 and Hang on key 28. To make a call, press 27 and select the desired phone number with the number keys 25.

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If the fixed network transmits to the mobile station 21 in response to a cost estimate of the call, the mobile station may, for example, provide 35 beeps to the echo canceller 29 while displaying the cost, estimate, cost level or tariff on alphanumeric 13 107102 displays 22 as illustrated in FIG. tariff ". If the user accepts the tariff category and wants to continue the call, he / she will press the call origination button 27 again, whereby the mat-5 mobile station 21 will send a confirmation message to the fixed network. If the user considers the call too expensive, he / she will press the end button 28, whereby the mobile station 21 will send a negative confirmation message or no confirmation message to the fixed network, whereby the fixed network 10 will terminate the call definitively. Instead of an alphanumeric display, the cost level can be indicated, for example, by lighting a dedicated LED or by any other suitable means.

The figures and the description related thereto are intended only to illustrate the present invention. The method of the invention may vary in detail within the scope of the appended claims.

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Claims (9)

A method for communicating call costs, in which method the calling subscriber sends a call request to a fixed network, which call request comprises the called subscriber's number, characterized in that the method comprises additional: the fixed network estimates the cost or cost level in advance. for the call is established based on the position of the calling subscriber and / or the called subscriber, the fixed network transmits data on the estimated costs or cost level of the call to the subscriber to be charged for the call, at least in the case of the estimated costs or cost level. does not fall within the permitted cost range for the subscriber concerned, the cost or cost level of the call is shown to the subscriber and a confirmation message is sent to the fixed network, if the subscriber wishes to continue with the connection, the fixed network continues. tter call setup! : 25 upon receipt of said confirmation message or in another case, the call connection terminates definitively. • «· ·, 1. ! 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that data on the cost or cost level is transmitted to the subscriber who is charged in connection with the respective calls. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the fixed network, the subscriber data controls the predetermined permitted cost range for the subscriber as in 1. ·, 35 are charged and estimate in advance the cost of the call • «which is connected, 19 the fixed network continues the call connection in the normal way, if the estimated call costs are within the allowed cost range, the fixed network interrupts the call connection and transmits the call information in the subscriber who is charged, if the costs are not within the allowed cost range. Method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the fixed network controls in the subscriber data the predetermined lowest tariff for the calling subscriber, which tariff range is e.g. if the calling subscriber is within the lowest tariff range, the fixed network interrupts the call connection and sends a debit information message to the calling subscriber, if the calling subscriber does not sign in, if the calling subscriber is within the lowest tariff range. within the lowest tariff range. 5. A method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that ··. the fixed network checks in the subscriber data the .V. predetermined lowest tariff for the calling subscriber, which tariff range is e.g. subscriber home center- «♦ · ♦ ****. real area or home network, and the called subscriber's posi- • 1 ♦, ·· · '• · · · 1 in the fixed network, the call connection continues in a normal way, if the calling subscriber is within the lowest tariff range or the called subscriber is within the same tariff range as the calling subscriber, the fixed network interrupts the call connection and sends a billing information message to the calling subscriber, in case the calling subscriber is not: Y: is within the lowest tariff range or the called subscriber is not within the same tariff range as the calling subscriber. Method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the fixed network controls in the subscriber data the predetermined lowest tariff of the called subscriber, which tariff range is e.g. if the called subscriber is within the lowest tariff range, the fixed network interrupts the call connection and sends a billing information message to the called subscriber, if the called subscriber does not is within the lowest tariff range. Method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the fixed network controls in the subscriber data the predetermined lowest tariff of the called subscriber, which tariff range is e.g. the subscriber's home central area or home network, and the calling subscriber's position, the fixed network continues the call connection in the normal way, if the called subscriber is within the lowest tariff range or the calling subscriber is within the same tariff range as the calling subscriber. · · 9 paged subscriber, • · * * · The fixed network interrupts the call connection and • · <• · * sends a billing information message to the called *, · * called subscriber, if the called subscriber is not found within the lowest tariff range or the call - *: **; if the subscriber is not within the same tariff range · ““? as the calling subscriber. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a blocking facility is activated in the subscriber's subscriber data, as a result of which the fixed: Y: network does not continue the call connection even when receiving a call. a confirmation message from the subscriber, if the estimated call costs or cost level are not in the blocking facility within the subscriber's cost range. A telecommunication system comprising an arrangement for the communication of saratal costs, in which an arrangement a calling subscriber device (MSÄ) is arranged to send a call request to a fixed network (BSS, MSC), which request contains the called subscriber's ( MSB number, characterized in that in the arrangement further comprises: the fixed network (MSC) is arranged to estimate in advance the cost or cost level of the call established on the basis of the calling subscriber device (MSA) and / or the called subscriber device. (MSb) position, the fixed network (MSC) is arranged to transmit data on the estimated costs or cost level of the call to the subscriber device (MSA, MSB) to be charged for the call, at least in the case of the estimated costs or cost level is not within the permitted subscriber device (MSA, MSB) allowable cost range, the subscriber device (MSA, MSB) charged is *. Arranged to display the cost or cost level of the call to the user and send a confirmation message to the fixed network (MSC) if the user wishes to continue the call connection, ♦: ·· · The fixed network (MSC) is arranged to continue _, ···. the call connection upon receipt of the confirmation message or otherwise terminate the call connection: the call is final.