Charging method
AssigneeNokia Siemens Networks Oy
InventorTerje Lundin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of charging a subscriber of a communications network where a network element pretends to be a user's terminal equipment and sends a messaging message on the user's behalf to a predetermined destination address from a system element in order to bill the customer for use of a chargeable service, when the system element knows the user's telephone number or other user identification. A message center in the communications system is configured to charge the user according to the fee associated with the destination number. For example, the messaging message may be a short message sent to a predetermined number, which causes a short message center to bill the user accordingly.
Claims18
A method of charging a subscriber of a communications system, the method comprising:
- a subscriber communicates over an access network in order to access or use a chargeable service;
- a network entity responsible for initiating of charging relating to the chargeable service creates a messaging message according to a messaging method of the communications system, said messaging message indicating the subscriber as an originator of the message;
- the network entity sends the messaging message to a predetermined destination address selected according to said chargeable service;
- and
- in response to receiving said messaging message at said predetermined destination address, the communications system charges said subscriber according to a predetermined fee associated with said destination address as if the subscriber itself had sent the messaging message.
A method of charging a subscriber of a communications system, comprising:
- in response to a communication between a user equipment and an access node of an access network, sending an accounting request from said access node to an authentication unit;
- said authentication unit retrieving information of a subscriber of said user equipment;
- said authentication unit generating a message comprising at least an identification of said subscriber as an originator of the message;
- and
- said authentication unit sending said message to a predetermined destination address selected according to a service to be charged, wherein sending of the message causes the subscriber to be charged according to a messaging fee associated with the predetermined destination address.
A communications system, comprising:
- user equipment associated with subscribers;
- an access network providing access to at least one chargeable service for the subscribers;
- a messaging system;
- and
- a network entity responsible for initiating of charging said at least one chargeable service;
- said network entity being configured to create a messaging message according to said messaging system of the communications system, when a subscriber uses a chargeable service, said messaging message indicating said subscriber as an originator of the message,
- the network entity being further configured to send the messaging message to a predetermined destination address selected according to said chargeable service,
- the messaging system being configured, in response to sending said messaging message to said predetermined destination address, to charge the subscriber according to a predetermined fee associated with said destination address as if the subscriber itself had sent the messaging message.
An authentication center for charging a subscriber of a communications network, the authentication center comprising
- means for receiving, in response to a communication between a user equipment and an access node of an access network, an accounting request from said access node;
- means for retrieving information of a subscriber of said user equipment;
- means for generating a message indicating said subscriber as an originator of the message;
- and
- means for sending to a message center said message for informing said message center of a fixed-priced process than can be charged from said subscriber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.