Prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network

• US 20030147363A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sonera Oyj
• Inventors: Ala-Luukko, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and system for implementing a prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network, in which information requested by a mobile station is delivered to the mobile station so long as the subscriber has maintained a sufficient prepaid balance from which the service charges can be deducted. An access point name definition, which points to a service node via which access to or use of an associated prepaid service is provided, is defined. A control server is used to monitor the service traffic between the mobile station and the content server after the access point name definition identified in an activation request for data service has been sent from the mobile station. Traffic monitoring continues as long as the data service is active, and the prepaid service balance in a billing database is dynamically updated to reflect the subscriber'"'"'s ongoing use of the data service based on the continued monitoring of the control server.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network in which information, requested in a data service activation request from a mobile station connected to the network, is delivered to the mobile station so long as a prepaid service balance associated with the mobile station remains at a sufficient level, comprising the steps of:

defining an access point name definition that points to a gateway GPRS support node through which the prepaid service is useable by the mobile station, the access point name definition being contained in the data service activation request from the mobile station;

monitoring, by a control server for so long as the data service remains active, traffic between the mobile station and a content server for the prepaid service after the data service activation request containing the access point name definition has been sent by the mobile station; and

updating, in a billing database, the prepaid service balance level based on said traffic monitoring by the control server.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the defined access point name definition is stored in a home location register of the network.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising, prior to said traffic monitoring, the steps of:

checking the level of the prepaid service balance in the billing database; and

preventing use of the prepaid service by the mobile station if said checking of the prepaid service balance level determines that said level is insufficient for use of the prepaid service.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising, during said traffic monitoring, the steps of:

checking the level of the prepaid service balance in the billing database; and

preventing use of the prepaid service by the mobile station if said checking of the prepaid service balance level determines that said level is insufficient for use of the prepaid service.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said preventing comprises stopping transmission of packets to the mobile station.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said preventing comprises stopping transmission of packets to the mobile station.

7. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said preventing comprises transmitting a message to the gateway GPRS support node.

8. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said preventing comprises transmitting a message to the gateway GPRS support node.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the billing database is updated by attributing follow-up information based on an MSISDN subscriber number associated with the mobile station.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the billing database is updated by attributing follow-up information based on an IMSI subscriber number associated with the mobile station.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connection of the mobile station to the network uses a wireless application protocol.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein realtime billing is implemented in the control server.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein transaction-based billing is implemented in the control server.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein time debiting-based billing is implemented in the control server.

15. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein billing based on an amount of information transferred to the mobile station is implemented in the control server.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the billing database is located in the control server.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network comprises an intelligent network and the billing database is located in an SDP node of the intelligent network.

18. A system for implementing a prepaid service in a packet-switched mobile communication network in which information, requested in a data service activation request from a mobile station connected to the network, is delivered to the mobile station so long as a prepaid service balance associated with the mobile station remains at a sufficient level, said system comprising:

a service node connected to the network;

a content server connected to the service node;

a control server connected to the service node;

a billing database connected to the control server for storing billing information comprising the prepaid service balance;

an access point attribute that points to the service node and via which the prepaid service is usable by the mobile station;

a control unit for monitoring data communications between the mobile station and the prepaid service and for checking the prepaid service balance level in the billing database; and

an update unit for updating the prepaid balance level for the mobile station in the billing database based on use of the prepaid service.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising barring facilities for preventing use of the prepaid service by the mobile station.

20. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the packet-switched mobile communication network comprises a general packet radio service.

21. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the packet-switched mobile communication network comprises a global system for mobile communication.

22. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the service node comprises a gateway GPRS support node and a serving GPRS support node.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the control server is integrated with the gateway GPRS support node.