Charge advice in telecommunication systems
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
InventorJohan Lundstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of providing charge information to a user of a mobile terminal (2), which information relates to an IP connection or connections being used by the user. The method comprises the steps of identifying the terminal (2) or the user to a charge control node (CCN) (10) located in a home network (1) of the terminal (2) or user and, for the duration of the IP connection(s), using the existing connection or one of the existing connections to transport a stream of charge information messages from the CCN (10) to the mobile terminal (2).
Claims14
A method of providing charge information to a subscriber terminal communicating through a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) associated with said subscriber terminal or a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN), which information relates to an IP connection to said subscriber terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying the subscriber terminal to a charge control node (CCN) located in said HPLMN associated with said subscriber terminal;
- for the duration of the IP connection, using said IP connection to transport a stream of charge information messages directly from the CCN to the subscriber terminal, said charge control messages bypassing all circuit-switched control nodes of said HPLMN and said VPLMN to deliver said charge information to said subscriber terminal;
- and,
- periodically sending continuation messages from the subscriber terminal to the CCN over the IP connection in order to maintain said stream of charge information messages.
A charge control node (CCN) for use in a telecommunications network, the CCN being arranged to provide charge information to a subscriber terminal communicating through a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) associated with said subscriber terminal or a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN), said CCN located in said HPLMN associated with said subscriber terminal, said CCN comprising:
- means for authenticating said subscriber terminal on the basis of identification information sent to the CCN;
- and,
- means for generating a stream of charge information messages relating to an IP connection established by the subscriber terminal, and for sending the generated messages directly to the subscriber terminal using the IP connection, said charge control messages bypassing all circuit-switched control nodes of said HPLMN and said VPLMN to deliver said charge information to said subscriber terminal;
- and,
- means for periodically receiving continuation messages from the subscriber terminal over the IP connection, said stream of charge information messages being terminated if a continuation message is not periodically received within a predetermined period of time.
A subscriber terminal configured to receive charge information from a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN), said subscriber terminal comprising:
- establishing at least one IP connection via a telecommunications network
- means for identifying itself to a charge control node (CCN) located in a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) associated with said subscriber terminal while said subscriber terminal is communicating through said HPLMN or a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN);
- means for receiving a stream of charge control messages sent directly from the CCN using said IP connection, each charge control message containing charge information relating to the IP connection, said charge control messages bypassing all circuit-switched control nodes of said HPLMN and said VPLMN to deliver said charge information to said subscriber terminal;
- and,
- means for periodically sending continuation messages from the subscriber terminal to the CCN over the IP connection in order to maintain said stream of charge information messages.
A system for providing packet-switched charging information to a subscriber terminal communicating through a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) associated with said subscriber terminal or a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN), said charging information related to an IP connection to said subscriber terminal, said system comprising:
- means for identifying said subscriber terminal to a charging control node (CCN) located within said HPLMN associated with said subscriber terminal;
- means for communicating a stream of charge information messages directly from the CCN to the subscriber terminal during the duration of said IP connection, said charge control messages bypassing all circuit-switched control nodes of said HPLMN and said VPLMN to deliver said charge information to said subscriber terminal;
- and, means for periodically receiving continuation messages from the subscriber terminal to the CCN over the IP connection in order to maintain said stream of charge information messages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.