Method for applying different charge rates and for indicating location of mobile station in cellular mobile telecommunication system

• US 20040224682A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Myung-Seok
• Application Number:
  US10/865,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20040224682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/02 Dehydrating; Subsequent reconstitution dried cooked potatoes A23L19/12
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/022 with addition of chemicals before or during drying, e.g. semi-moist productsA23B7/024 - A23B7/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/028 Thin layer-, drum- or roller-drying or by contact with a hot surface
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 19/15 Unshaped dry products, e.g. powders, flakes, granules or agglomerates
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18545 Arrangements for managing station mobility, i.e. for station registration or localisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for applying different charge rates and indicating the location of a mobile station in a cellular mobile telecommunication system. Location information for the major service zone of the mobile station is monitored in the home-zone list to apply different charge rate to the mobile station in the home zone and the non-home zone. By applying the different charge rates according to the location of the mobile station, it is possible to provide a low-priced charge system in which the charge rate is lower than that of the mobile telecommunication network or equal to or slightly higher than that of the PSTN. Moreover, the mobile station indicates its present location by a specific message or a specific tone, so that the subscriber knows both the present location and the type of the charge rate that is currently applied.

Claims

1. A method for applying different charge rates to a subscriber in a cellular mobile telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a home-zone list including a location information of a home zone of a mobile station in a home location register (HLR);

(b) transmitting the home-zone list in the home location register to a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC) servicing an area where the mobile station is located;

(c) storing the home zone list in the visitor location register (VLR);

(d) tracking a duration of the mobile station in a home service zone and a non-home service zone during a given call connection; and

,

(e) applying, by the mobile switching center (MSC), different charge rate to a call made in the home service zone and the non-home service zone based on the home-zone list stored in the visitor location register (VLR),

wherein the home-zone list transmitting step (b) comprises the step of sending the home-zone list to the visitor location register (VLR) if the home-zone list of the home location register (HLR) is updated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information of the home zone comprises:

an identification (ID) of a base station servicing the home zone;

an identification (ID) of a base station controller (BSC) controlling the base station; and

,

an identification (ID) of the mobile switching center (MSC) controlling the base station controller (BSC).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location information for the home zone further comprises an identification (ID) of each sector if a service zone of the base station is divided into a plurality of sectors by a plurality of sector antennas.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the home-zone list transmitting step (b) comprises the step of sending the home-zone list to the visitor location register (VLR) if the mobile station terminates the call or originates the call.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (b) of transmitting the home-zone list comprises the steps of:

determining whether the home-zone list of the home location register (HLR) is changed;

if the home-zone list is changed, sending the home-zone list to the visitor location register (VLR);

if the home-zone list is not changed, determining whether the mobile station terminates the call or originates the call; and

,

sending the home-zone list to the visitor location register (VLR) if the mobile station terminates the call or originates the call.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (e) of applying the different rate comprises the steps of:

sending the home-zone list in the visitor location register (VLR) to the base station controller (BSC) which connects a traffic channel to the mobile station;

determining, by the base station controller (BSC), whether the mobile station moves between the home zone and the non-home zone based on a determination from the home-zone list;

calculating, by the base station controller (BSC), a call duration of the mobile station in the home zone and the non-home zone, respectively, and transmitting the calculated call duration results to the mobile switching center (MSC); and

,

applying, by the mobile switching center, a first charge rate for the call duration in the home zone and a second charge rate for the call duration in the non-home zone.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (e) of applying the different rate comprises the steps of:

sending the home-zone list in the visitor location register (VLR) to the base station controller (BSC) which connects a traffic channel to the mobile station;

determining, by the base station controller (BSC), whether the mobile station moves between the home zone and the non-home zone based on a determination from the home-zone list;

calculating, by the base station controller (BSC), a call duration of the mobile station in the home zone and the non-home zone, respectively, and transmitting the calculated call duration results to the mobile switching center (MSC); and

,

applying, by the mobile switching center, a first charge rate for the call duration in the home zone and a second charge rate for the call duration in the non-home zone.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step (d) of applying the different rate comprises the steps of:

sending the home-zone list in the visitor location register (VLR) to the base station controller (BSC) which connects a traffic channel to the mobile station;

determining, by the base station controller (BSC), whether the mobile station moves between the home zone and the non-home zone based on a determination from the home-zone list;

calculating, by the base station controller (BSC), a call duration of the mobile station in the home zone and the non-home zone, respectively, and transmitting the calculated call duration results to the mobile switching center (MSC); and

,

applying, by the mobile switching center, a first charge rate for the call duration in the home zone and a second charge rate for the call duration in the non-home zone.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step (d) of applying the different rate comprises the steps of:

sending the home-zone list in the visitor location register (VLR) to the base station controller (BSC) which connects a traffic channel to the mobile station;

determining, by the base station controller (BSC), whether the mobile station moves between the home zone and the non-home zone based on a determination from the home-zone list;

calculating, by the base station controller (BSC), a call duration of the mobile station in the home zone and the non-home zone, respectively, and transmitting the calculated call duration results to the mobile switching center (MSC); and

,

applying, by the mobile switching center, a first charge rate for the call duration in the home zone and a second charge rate for the call duration in the non-home zone.

10. A method for indicating the location of a mobile station in a cellular mobile telecommunication system during a given call connection, comprising the steps of:

sending a home-zone list of a mobile station from a home location register (HLR) to a visitor location register (VLR) coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC) serving an area where the mobile station is located, if the home-zone list of the home location register (HLR) is updated, and providing the home-zone list from the visitor location register (VLR) to a base station controller (BSC);

searching, by the base station controller (BSC), a home-zone list of the mobile station to determine whether the mobile station has moved between a home zone and a non-home zone during the call connection, wherein the home-zone list includes a location information for a home zone of the mobile station;

requesting, by the base station controller (BSC), the mobile station to display a present location if the mobile station has moved between the home zone and the non-home zone during the call connection; and

,

displaying, by the mobile station, the present location at the request of the base station controller (BSC).

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mobile station periodically transmits the present location information to the base station controller (BSC) through the base station.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mobile station transmits the present location information to the base station controller (BSC) periodically or whenever the mobile station performs a handoff.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the base station controller (BSC) stores the home-zone list of the mobile station when connecting the traffic channel to the mobile station.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of determining whether the mobile station has moved between the home zone and the non-home zone comprises the steps of:

determining, by the base station controller (BSC), whether the present location information of the mobile station is included in the home-zone list;

setting a home-zone flag to “

1”

(True) if the present location information of the mobile station is included in the home-zone list, wherein the home-zone flag indicates whether an area where the mobile station is presently located belongs to the home zone or non-home zone;

setting the home-zone flag to “

0”

(False) if the present location information of the mobile station is not included in the home-zone list;

determining whether the home-zone flag of the mobile station is changed;

deciding that the mobile station has moved between the home zone and the non-home zone if the home-zone flag of the mobile station is changed; and

,

deciding that the mobile station has not moved between the home zone and the non-home zone if the home-zone flag of the mobile station is not changed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the present location information of the mobile station includes an ID of the mobile switching center, an ID of the base station controller (BSC), and an ID of the base station.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the present location information for the home zone comprises:

an identification (ID) of a base station servicing the home zone;

an identification (ID) of a base station controller (BSC) controlling the base station; and

,

an identification (ID) of the mobile switching center (MSC) controlling the base station controller (BSC).

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the present location information for the home zone further comprises an identification (ID) of each sector if a service zone of the base station is divided into a plurality of sectors by a plurality of sector antennas.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the present location indication requesting step comprises the step of requesting, by the base station controller (BSC), the mobile station to generate a specific tone if the mobile station moves from the home zone to the non-home zone.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether the home-zone flag is changed comprises the steps of:

determining whether the home-zone flag of the mobile station is changed from “

1”

to “

0”

; and

,

deciding that the mobile station has moved from the home zone to the non-home zone if the home-zone flag of the mobile station is changed from “

1”

to “

0”

.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the base station controller (BSC) requests the mobile station to generate a specific tone if the mobile station has moved from the home zone to the non-home zone or from the non-home zone to the home zone.