MXPA06007881A - Method for billing a data transmission by selecting accounts - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for billing a data transmission (1, 31, 61) in a telecommunications network (TKN) by using at least two billing accounts (K1, K2, K3) that can be accessed by a selection message of a communications terminal (KEG1). During the method, the data transmission (1, 31, 61) directed to the communications terminal (KEG1) of a communications subscriber or originating from the communications terminal (KEG1) is initiated. After the data transmission has begun, the selection message (8, 37a, 67) of the communications terminal (KEG1) is received by a network element (MSC, SGSN) of the telecommunications network, the selection message containing an identifier of the billing account (K1) to be used for billing the data transmission. The data transmission is then billed via this billing account (K1).

Description

METHOD FOR DEDUCING THE COST OF A DATA TRANSMISSION THROUGH ACCOUNT SECTIONS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for deducting the cost of a data transmission in a telecommunication network by means of at least two cost deduction accounts that can be accessed by means of a message of selection of a communication apparatus, in which the procedure is used to initiate the transmission of data directed to the communication terminal of a participant in the communication or transmission of data that may originate from the communication terminal. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A procedure of that type is known from patent document US 6, 195, 419. In this procedure, before the formation of a telephone link, the account number of the person who made the call is requested, in order to calculate the costs of this telephonic link and to ignore them to the account corresponding to the account number. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention proposes the task of presenting a versatile procedure for deducting the cost of data transmission by means of two calculation accounts. This task is solved according to the invention with a method of the aforementioned type in which, after the start of data transmission, the network element of the telecommunication network receives the selection message from the communication terminal, contains the message of selection an identification of the cost deduction account useful for the deduction of the cost of data transmission, and from this the cost of transmitting data through that cost deduction account is deducted. Here, it is particularly advantageous if the selection message is received after the start of data transmission of the element of the telecommunications network. This includes the reception of the selection message during the course of the data transmission and also the selection of a selection message upon completion of the data transmission. Thus, on the side of the communication terminal during the course of a data transmission or also after the completion of that data transmission, the cost deduction account to be used is determined. This determination of the useful cost deduction account can also advantageously be carried out at a time when the type of the data transmission and / or at least parts of the data to be transmitted are already known on the side of the communication terminal. . The method according to the invention can be configured in such a way that after the start of data transmission from the network element of the telecommunication network transmits a selection request message to the communication terminal, and the selection message transmitted by the communication terminal is received by the network element of the telecommunication network. For this, the network element of the communication terminal is excited by means of the selection request message by means of the selection request message to transmit the selection message to it. With this, the telecommunication network can determine the moment at which, on the side of the communication terminal, it makes available the identification of the cost deduction account by means of the selection message. The procedure according to the invention can proceed in such a way that in case the selection message is not received the data transmission is deducted from the cost through a predetermined cost deduction account, for this the deduction of the cost of the data transmission preferably then when the sides of the communication terminal does not transmit the selection message to the telecommunications network. The procedure can proceed in such a way that the selection request selection message is transmitted before terminating the transmission of data to the communication terminal. For this purpose, during the transfer in progress, the identification can be requested or obtained for the deduction of the cost of the cost deduction account that will be used for the transmission of data. The method according to the invention can take place in such a way that a switching node of the telecommunication network recognizes the start of data transmission, the switching node informs a service control point of the telecommunication network about the start of data transmission, and from this, the service control point allows the transmission of the selection request message to the terminal Communication. This configuration of the method according to the invention makes it possible to carry out the method using frequently the switching nodes and the service control points existing in the telecommunication network. Thus, a particularly economic embodiment of the method according to the invention is possible. The procedure may also proceed in such a way that the selection request message is transmitted after terminating the transmission of data to the communication terminal. For this advantageously only after the completion of the data transmission, the communication terminal requests or obtains the identification of the cost deduction account to be used. At this time on the side of the communication device, information about the total transmission of data and the data to be transmitted is preferably available in such a way that this information can be used to determine the identification. The procedure can proceed in such a way that a switching node of the telecommunications network can recognize the end of the data transmission, the switching node informs the service control point of the telecommunication network about the completion of the transmission of data and thereafter the service control point allows the transmission of the selection request message to the communication terminal. This embodiment of the method can advantageously be carried out economically in the switching nodes already existing in many telecommunication networks. The method according to the invention can proceed in such a way that, in order to allow the transmission of a selection request message, a transmission request message is transmitted to the switching point of the telecommunication network. The method according to the invention can proceed in such a way that the selection request message is transmitted in the form of a USSD message, and therefore the selection message is received in the form of a second USSD message. However, the method can also proceed in such a way that a transmission request message is transmitted to the voice transmission unit of the telecommunications network to enable the transmission of the selection request message. For this, the selection request message can be transmitted in the form of a voice message and thus the selection message is received. The method according to the invention can also be carried out in such a way that, in order to authorize the transmission of the selection request message, a transmission request message is transmitted to a short message service center of the telecommunications network. For this the selection request message can be transmitted in the form of a short written message and thus the selection message can be received in the form of a second short written message BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The procedure of agreement will be described in more detail below. with the invention with the aid of exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in which a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1 with a selection message in the form of a USSD message Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the method according to the invention with a selection message in the form of a voice message, and Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the method according to the invention with a selection message in the form of a short written message DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In figure 1 one is represented telecommunications network TKN, in the embodiment example of a mobile radio network (for example a GSM or GPRS radio network). In other embodiments, the telecommunication network TKN can be another network, for example telephony networks, business communication networks (Intranets) or the well-known internet. In this embodiment, the telecommunications network TKN has a network element in the form of a switching node MSC. That MSC switching node is often made in conjunction with a VLR visitor registry (MSC / VLR = Mobile Switching Center / Visitor Location Register). The switching nodes MSC (also called switching point) is a local register HLR (HLR = Home Location Register) and is connected to an SCP service control point (SCP = Service Control Point). In the embodiment, the telecommunications network TKN presents a structure of an intelligent network (IN = Intelligent Network); The switching node MSC in this case also performs the function of a service switching point SSP (SSP = Service Switching Point). In addition, the switching node MSC is linked to an AS calculation system, which is for example a known "post-processing calculation system" in a mobile radio network, with which the costs of the links are calculated. mobile radio through the production of an account. In the AS calculation system it can be, for example, a system known as the "Prepaid cost deduction system", in which the communication terminals or their individual users are assigned the assigned balance accounts. Examples of this type of cost deduction system are the "ChargingQvantage" and "ChargeSonce" systems from Siemens AG. In the embodiment, the cost deduction system AS includes three cost deduction accounts Kl, K2 and K3. The switching nodes MSC is a communication terminal KEG1 and a second communication terminal KEG2; In the exemplary embodiment, both communication terminals are mobile telephones. At the start of the process shown in FIG. 1, a data transmission 1 is formed and initiated from the communication terminal KEG1 via the switching nodes 2 to the second communication terminal KEG2. In this transmission of data (transmission of useful data), in the example of realization of a telephone call. (In another embodiment at the beginning of the process, also starting from the second communication device KEG2, a data transmission could be initiated in the form of a telephone call addressed to a first communication device KEG1). At the end of the data transmission on the side of the second communication terminal KEG2, the telephone call is terminated (for which, for example, the handset of the second communication terminal is hung or the corresponding key of the second communication terminal is activated). This completion of the data transmission is recognized by the MSC switching nodes in a known manner (step 2). The switching nodes MSC informs the service control point SCp of the telecommunication network about the completion of the data transmission, for which the message CAP "Initial Detection Point ID" is transmitted from the switching nodes MSC to the SCP service control point (stage 3). The service control point SCP verifies whether the first communication terminal KEG1 (which represents the caller's communication terminal) has been announced to participate in the procedure to deduct the cost of a data transmission; that type of advertisement information (subscription information) can for example be read from a data memory of the SCP service control point. In this embodiment, it must be assumed that the first communication terminal KEG1 has been announced to participate in this procedure. In the data memory of the service control point SCP it has likewise been stored that the communication terminal KEG1 has been assigned a predetermined cost deduction account in the form of the K3 account. That account is then used to deduct the cost of data transmission, when there is no other information about the account useful for the deduction of the cost. From this the service control point SCP authorizes the transmission of a telephone call 7 could be initiated to the communication terminal KEG1. This happens when the SCP service control point transmits the MAP message "Unstructured Supplementary Service-Request - Unstructured Supplementary Service Request" to the local HLR register (step 5). The local register HLR sends a transmission request message 6 in the form of an "Unstructured Supplementary Service-Request" message to the switching node MSC and thereby causes these switching node MSC to transmit a USSD message (USSD sequence). ) to the first communication terminal KEG1. With this, the switching node MSC transmits a selection request message in the form of a USD 7 message to the communication terminal KEG1. This selection request message, this is the sequence USSD 7, is received by the first communication terminal KGl. Upon receipt of this selection request message on a screen of the first KEG1 terminal, the following text is displayed: "Please select the cost deduction account to deduct the cost of the completed telephone link". After a user of the first communication terminal KEG1 has activated a corresponding key of the telephone (for example the key 1 for selecting the first cost deduction account Kl), the first communication terminal KEG1 transmits a selection message 8 ( containing the identification "# 01 #" of the cost deduction account Kl that will be used to deduct the cost of the finished telephone link) to the switching node MSC. The selection message represents the shape of a second USSD sequence (USSD message). The selection of the identification of the cost deduction account useful for deducting the cost of the data transmission can be performed on the side of the first communication terminal KEG1 also in an automatic way. For example, in the first communication terminal KEG1, a data table can be stored, in which an identification of a cost deduction account is assigned to the different types of data transmissions. The first communication terminal KEG1 determines the type of data transmission (for example, called telephone conversation (Voice Cali) or an Internet section), reads from the table the assigned identification and determines that identification with the help of the selection message to the element of the MSC network of the telecommunication network. The selection message 8 transmitted by the communication terminal KEG1 are received by a network element of the telecommunications network TKN formed by the switching nodes MSC. The switching nodes MSC of a telecommunication network TKN having a structure of an intelligent network transmit the information about the identification of the cost deduction account Kl to the local register HLR (step 9: Return result operation UnstructuredSS-Request). The local registry HLR transmits this information by means of the MAP message "Return result operation UnstructuredSS-Request" to the SCP service control point (step 10). The service control point SCP transmits the information about the identification received by means of the CAP message "FurnishCharginglnformation - Providing the charge information" to the switching nodes MSC (step 11). The switching nodes MSC produces in a known manner a charging information ("invoice") and transmits that invoice to the deduction system of the post-processing cost AS. With this invoice, information about the costs generated during the call with the mobile phone is also transmitted to the AS cost deduction system. The AS cost deduction system registers the costs generated by the telephone call to the Kl account and takes those costs into account when issuing the next invoice. With this, the cost of data transmission is deducted in the cost deduction account Kl. When, in the case of another mode of the method, the switching node MSC does not receive the selection message 8 from the first telecommunications terminal KEG1 (for example because of a problem or because the side of the first communication terminal KEG1 has not made the selection of the cost deduction account), then the network element MSC issues an invoice, with which the identification of the predetermined cost deduction account 3 is transmitted to the AS cost deduction system. Information about the identification of the default cost deduction account K3 to the AS cost deduction system. The information about the identification of the predetermined cost deduction account K3 in this case will transmit the message "FurnishCahrginglnformation - transmit the charging information" (step 11) to the transmission nodes. Also in this case a deduction of the cost of data transmission can also be made. In another embodiment, the above process steps can be performed 1 of course also before terminating the data transfer, for example during a transmission of useful data or a useful data link in the form of a mobile telephone call in progress. In this case, the switching node MSC recognizes, for example, the start of the data transmission (and from this the switching node MSC informs the service control point SC by means of a message which is conformed to the message 3 described above. , about the start of data transmission). ? from this the other steps of the procedure proceed as described above. In this case the switching node MS writes on the invoice for example information about a gross amount of the cost (for example 1 gross cost of 1 Euro per phone call); This gross amount of costs is deducted from a cost deduction account determined by means of identification. In the framework of this invention the phrase "after the start of data transmission" both a time point after the start and after the completion of data transmission. In Figure 2 another course of the method according to the invention is shown, in which the steps 31 and 32 coincide with the steps 1 and 2 described in relation to figure 1 and 2. The switching nodes MSC transmits another CAP 33 message "InitialDetectionPOint - Initial Detection Point" at the SCP service control point and informs the service control point about the completion of the data transmission. With this the service control point SCP analogously to the step 4 of figure 1, the first communication device KEG1 participates in the cost deduction procedure and assigns the first terminal KEG1 the predetermined cost deduction account K3 (stage 34). After this, the service control point SCP authorizes the transmission of a selection request message 37 to the communication terminal KEG1, for which the service control points SCP transmits the "ConnectToRessource" messages and "PromptAndCollectUserlnformation" to the switching node MSC (step 35). After this, the switching node MSC transmits the message CAP "" PromptAndCollectUserlnformation "to the IP voice transmission unit IP (IP = intelligent peripheral) of the telecommunications network (step 36), that message CAP 36 represents a request message The voice transmission IP unit transmits a selection request message in the form of a voice message 37 to the switching nodes MSC, the switching node MSC transmits the selection request message KEGl. 37 says "Please select the cost deduction account to deduct the cost of the completed telephone link." After the sides of the first KEG1 communication device after the cost deduction account Kl that is used for the deduction was selected of the cost, the identification of that account is transmitted with a selection message 37a through a switching node MSC to the IP voice transmission unit. ection in this case is formed by means of a voice message that arises from the user of the communication terminal KEGl. The IP voice broadcast unit transmits that identification by means of a CAP message "return result of CAP operation ProptAndColectUserlnformation "to the switching node MSC (step 38) The switching node MSC transmits that message CAP to the service control point SCP The service control point SCP terminates the link between the switching node and the transmitting unit IP voice by means of the CAP message "DisconnectForwardConnection - Disconnect next connection" and transmit the identification by means of the CAP message "FurnishCharginglnformation" to the switching nodes MSC (step 39) The switching node MSC transmits the identification together with other relevant information for the deduction of the cost of data transfer (as described in Figure 1) to the cost deduction system AS (step 40). Figure 3 shows another procedure for deducting the cost of a data transmission in which the data transmission between the first KEG1 terminal in the form of a mobile telephone and an internet server INT is not explicitly represented. In this exemplary embodiment, a switching node SGSN (SGCN) server support node GPRS) forms a network element of the telecommunication network TKN. Through this SGSG switching node, data transmission is started GPRS 61 (GPRS session) between the first communication terminal KEG1 and the internet server INT. At the end of that data transfer (for example separating the GPRS separation through a first communication terminal) the completion of the data transfer through the SGSN switching nodes is determined (step 62). Thereafter, the switching node SGSN through the CAP message "Initial DPGPRS - DPGPRS initial" to the control point of the service SCP will inform of the completion of the transmission of data (step 63). In step 64, the service control point SCP in a known manner determines whether the first KEG1 terminal participates in the procedure and that the deduction account of the predetermined cost (standard cost deduction account) of the KEG1 communication terminal is (K3 Account) ). From this, the service control point SCP allows the transmission of a selection request message 66 to the communication terminal KEGl, whereby a transmission request message 65 is transmitted to a short message service center SMSC (SMSC - Short Message Service Center) of the telecommunications network TKN. The short message service center SMSC transmits a selection request message in the form of a short written message 66 (SMS) via the switching node SGSN to the first terminal KEG1. After this the first communication terminal KEGl transmits the identification of the selection message containing the cost deduction account to be used in the deduction of the cost in the form of a second short written message 67 to the telecommunication network TKN, that message 67 is received by the network element SGSN and retransmitted to the SMSC short message service center. The selection message can, for example, consist of an SMS message, which mainly contains the number "1". That number represents the identification of the Kl account. The short message service center reads the identification of the selection message 67 and transmits that identification to the service control point SCP (step 68). After this, the service control point SCP provides information on the identification received by means of the CAP message "FurnishCharginglnformation GPRS" to the switching node SGSN (step 69). Thereafter, the switching node SGSN analogously to the switching node MSC in FIGS. 1 and 2 transmits to the system for deduction of the cost AS, the identification received in an invoice message 70 together with information about the costs incurred during the transmission of data. In the described method it is especially advantageous that the selection of the account to be used to deduct the cost of data transmission can be done during or also after the data transfer. In particular, a communication terminal in the form of a mobile telephone or fixed network can make a selection of the plurality of cost deduction accounts for the deduction of the cost of data transmission. The procedure can be carried out as an IN service of an intelligent network, which can be assigned (subscribed) to a first communication terminal KEGl.

Claims (11)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following: CLAIMS

1. A procedure for deducting the cost of a data transmission (1, 31, 61) in a telecommunication network (TKN) by means of at least two cost deduction nodes (Kl, K2, Kl) that can be accessed by means of a selection message of a communication terminal (KEG1), in which data transmission is initiated (1, 31, 61) addressed to the communication terminal (KEG1) of a participant in the communication or transmission of data that may originate from the communication terminal (KEG1), - after the start of data transmission the network element ( MSC, SGSN) of the telecommunication network receives the selection message (8, 37a, 67) from the communication terminal (KEG1), contains the selection message an identification of the cost deduction account (Kl) useful for the deduction from cost of data transmission, and - from this, the cost of data transmission is deducted through this cost deduction account, characterized in that - after the start of data transmission, the network element (MSC, SGSN) of the telecommunication network (TKN) transmits a selection request message (7,37,66) to the communication terminal (KEGl), and - after the selection message (8, 37a, 67) transmitted by the Communication terminal (KEG1) is received by the network element of the telecommunications network. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection request message (7,37,66) is transmitted to the communication terminal (KEG1) before the data transmission is finished. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that - a switching node (MSC, SGSN) of the telecommunication network recognizes the start of data transmission (1,31,61), - the node of switching informs a service control point (SCP) of the telecommunication network about the start of data transmission (3,33,63), and - from this, the service control point (SCP) allows transmission (5, 35, 65) of the selection request message (7, 37, 66) to the communication terminal (KEG1). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that - the selection request message (7, 37, 66) is transmitted to the communication terminal (KEG1) after the completion of the data transmission. The method according to one of claims 1, 2, or 4, characterized in that - a switching node of the telecommunications network can recognize the end of the data transmission, - the switching node informs the control point of service of the telecommunication network about the completion of the transmission of data and - from this the service control point allows the transmission of the selection request message to the communication terminal. The method according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, in order to allow the transmission of a selection request message (7), a transmission request message (6) is transmitted to the switching point (MSC) of the telecommunication network (TKN). The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, - the selection request message is transmitted in the form of a USSD message, and - therefore the selection message is received in the form of a second USSD message. The method according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, - in order to authorize the transmission of the selection request message (37), a transmission request message (36) is transmitted to the voice transmission unit (IP) of the telecommunications network (TKN). The method according to one of claims 1 to 5 or 8, characterized in that, - the selection request message may be transmitted in the form of a voice message (37) and - from this the selection message (37a) is received. The method according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that - to authorize the transmission of the selection request message (66) a transmission request message (65) is transmitted to a message service center short (SMSC) of the telecommunications network (TKN). The method according to one of claims 1 to 5 or 10, characterized in that - the selection request message can be transmitted in the form of a short written message (66) and - thus the selection message can be received in the form of a second short written message (67).