SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RATING AN IP-BASED WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BASED ON ACCESS POINT

• US 20100048165A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Linkola, Janne P., Caldwell, Christopher E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A subscriber communicates over an IP-based wireless telecommunications network through an access point. Identifiers associated with the access point (e.g., MAC address IP address, FQDN . . . ) are stored in a database. Each access point is mapped into one or more service zones, where service zones are mapped to service types. The subscriber has a rate plan that is based on a selection of one or more service types. When a wireless connection between the subscriber and the IP-based wireless telecommunications network is established, the access point identifiers are used to retrieve a service zone ID from the database. Upon completion of the communication, a call detail record can be generated that includes the service zone ID for the communication. The billing system can then retrieve billing plan information to determine an appropriate rate for the subscriber based on the service zone ID.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating Call Detail Record (CDR) based billing in a converged cellular network and an IP-based wireless access network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration request with a network controller from a mobile device via the IP-based wireless access network;

sending an access point identifier to the network controller, wherein the access point identifier is associated with a point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device;

querying a database with an access point identifier;

receiving a reply from the database in response to the query, wherein the reply includes a service zone identifier associated with the access point;

storing the service zone identifier at the network controller;

identifying a communication request from the mobile device over the IP-based wireless access network through the access point; and

communicating the service zone identifier to a switch for the identified communication request from the mobile device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the access point identifier comprises sending an IP address to the network controller, wherein the IP address is associated with the point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the access point identifier comprises sending a MAC address to the network controller, wherein the MAC address is associated with the point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the access point identifier comprises sending a FQDN to the network controller, wherein the FQDN is associated with the point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein querying the database with the access point identifier comprises sending a key index to a database in a query message, wherein the key index comprises either:

an IP address, a MAC address, or a FQDN associated with the point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the query at the database, locating a database entry associated with the query, and retrieving the service zone identifier associated with the database entry.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein locating the database entry comprises comparing an index from the query to a single value associated with the database entry.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the range of values comprises either:

an IP address, a MAC address, or a FQDN.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein locating the database entry comprises comparing an index from the query to a range of values associated with the database entry.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the range of values comprises either:

an IP address, a MAC address, or a FQDN.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storing the service zone identifier at the network controller comprises:

storing the zone identifier in a field of a CDR by overloading the field.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storing the service zone identifier at the network controller comprises:

storing the zone identifier in a CGI field of a CDR by overloading the CGI field.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the communication request from the mobile device over the IP-based wireless system through the access point comprises identifying an identifier associated with the mobile device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein communicating the service zone identifier to the switch comprises sending a CGI to the switch from the network controller, wherein a field of the CGI includes the service zone identifier encoded therein.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein communicating the service zone identifier to the switch comprises sending a bookkeeping message to the switch from the network controller, wherein the bookkeeping message includes the service zone identifier encoded therein.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the database is a service zones database that includes a number of database entries, wherein each database entry corresponds to a particular service zone that is keyed by an access point identifier, wherein each entry in the service zones database is associated with one or more access points associated with the particular service zone.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein each entry in the service zones database includes a field for a zone number that is a unique identifier that can be mapped to one or more service types.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein each entry in the service zones database includes a field for a zone number that is a unique identifier that can be mapped to one or more service types.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the database is configured to identify a billing plan associated with a communication from the mobile device over the IP-based wireless access network based on a mobile device identifier and the service zone identifier, wherein the database includes at least one of:

a subscriber database, a service type database, a zones database, and an access points database.

20. A network controller having computer-readable instructions for facilitating Call Detail Record (CDR) billing in a converged cellular network and an IP-based wireless access network, the computer-readable instructions comprising:

receiving a registration request associated with a mobile device that accesses the IP-based wireless network through an access point;

authenticating the registration request;

receiving an identifier associated with the access point;

querying a service zones database with the access point identifier, wherein the service zones database includes a plurality of database entries, wherein each entry in the service zones database includes a unique zone key, a zone definition, and a service zone identifier;

receiving a reply from the service zones database that includes the service zone identifier associated with the access point identifier;

storing the service zone identifier;

identifying a communication request from the mobile device over the IP-based wireless system;

initiating the communication after the communication request; and

communicating the service zone identifier to a billing system after the communication terminates.

21. The network controller of claim 20, wherein the identifier associated with the access point corresponds to either an IP address, a MAC address, or a FDQN associated with the access point.

22. The network controller of claim 20, wherein each entry in a service type database includes a unique service type key and one or more zone numbers, wherein each zone number associated with the service type database is mapped to a corresponding entry in the service zones database.

23. The network controller of claim 22, wherein each entry in a subscriber database includes a unique subscriber ID and an assigned service type, wherein the assigned service type is mapped to an entry in the service type database.

24. A computer implemented method for rating IP-based communications from a mobile device over a converged cellular network and an IP-based wireless access network, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a call detail record after the IP-based communication is competed, wherein the call detail record identifies a service zone associated with an access point where the mobile device gained access to the IP-based wireless network;

extracting a mobile device identifier associated with the subscriber from the call detail record;

retrieving a service type from a database that is indexed with the subscriber identifier;

evaluating the service type to identify preferred service zones associated with the service type;

extracting the service zone identifier from the call detail record;

comparing the service zone identifier to the preferred service zones; and

determining a bill rate associated with the call detail record based on the comparison.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising:

mapping each subscriber to a service type.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, further wherein each subscriber is mapped to a service type via a subscriber database.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, further comprising:

mapping each service type to one or more service zones.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, further wherein each service type is mapped to one or more service zones via a service type database.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

mapping each service zone to one or more service access points.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, further wherein each access point is mapped to one or more service zones via a service zones database.