System for subscriber administration in telecommunication network

• US 6,044,259 A
• Filed: 05/09/1997
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hentila, Marko, Suortti, Anssi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/836,371
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/408, 455/445, 455/414, 455/435, 455/407, 379/112, 379/115
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13532 mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system according to the invention comprises a subscriber administration logic located at a service control point SCP of an intelligent network, and a subscriber database of a service data point SDP that is associated therewith by CCS signaling. Subscriber records of the subscriber database are created, updated and deleted by the operator, but the create, read/write and delete functions can also be performed via a telephone network associated with the intelligent network. The operator can activate the control without the subscriber noticing it. For example, as a visitor subscriber of a mobile phone network is updated to a mobile phone network, the subscriber data are automatically forwarded to the intelligent network, which creates a subscriber record for the subscriber concerned. From the exchange performing call control, charging pulses generated during the call are forwarded to the service control point SCP in the manner defined by a monitoring request sent by a service control function SCF, the service control point calculating the real time charges for the call. The current charges are compared with the value indicated by the subscriber record, and the instructions contained in the record are followed. The system makes it possible to implement both call- and subscriber-specific restrictions in real time.

Claims

1. A system for subscriber administration in a mobile telephone network having an exchange to which is connected a service switching point SSP of an intelligent network IN, the service switching point providing access from the mobile telephone network to a number of services offered by a service control point SCP of the intelligent network, said system comprising:

a service data point SDP associated with the service control point SCP, wherein said service data point SDP comprises a database of subscribers to be managed, and an individual subscriber record which includes at least an A-number of the subscriber;

subscriber administration logic associated with the service control point SCP, wherein said subscriber administration logic immediately creates in the database a subscriber record for a new subscriber, when the service switching point SSP has routed the call signal of a new subscriber to be managed to the intelligent network, wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including information regarding an account balance, set for the subscriber by an operator;

means for forwarding charging pulses, generated by the exchange during the call, to the service control point SCP in a manner defined by a monitoring request sent by a service control function SCF, the service control point calculating the charges for the call during the call on the basis of the charging pulses and the charging information about the call given by the service control point SCP, whereby real time charges for the call are known; and

means for reducing the account balance in real time in accordance with charges incurred during the call only when a speech connection is established with a predetermined B-subscriber number as indicated in the subscriber record.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the new subscriber to be managed is a mobile subscriber visiting the mobile telephone network, and wherein said system further comprises:

means for creating a second subscriber record for the visiting subscriber in connection with location updating, and

wherein the service control point SCP comprises means for controlling all the calls of the visiting mobile subscriber with the help of information contained in the second subscriber record.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the account balance is set by the operator for one call made by the subscriber, and wherein said system further comprises:

means for releasing the speech connection in a controlled manner as the account balance reaches zero.

4. A system according to claim 1, the subscriber record contains additional data including information regarding an allowed number of calls, set by the operator for one subscriber, and wherein said system further comprises:

means for preventing a speech connection from becoming established if the number of calls exceeds the allowed number.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the allowed number is applied only when a speech connection is established to a predetermined B-subscriber number, as indicated in the subscriber record.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein said system further comprises:

means for sending the calling subscriber, and optionally the called subscriber, a voice message, when the account balance reaches zero or the number of calls exceeds the allowed number.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including statistical data regarding subscriber calls, and wherein the operator is able to use these data to control and manage the calls of the subscriber.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

means for allowing the subscriber to place a call to a common call number, input identification data, and be informed of the current account balance, and

means for reducing the account balance in real time, when the subscriber inputs the number of a B-subscriber and the speech connection has been established, wherein the subscriber can call from any subscriber connection whatsoever without the connection concerned being charged.

9. A method for subscriber administration in a mobile telephone network having an exchange to which a service switching point SSP of an intelligent network IN is connected, the service switching point providing an access from the mobile telephone network to the services offered by a service control point SCP of the intelligent network, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

managing a database of subscribers, in a service data point SDP associated with the service control point SCP, and an individual subscriber record of said database including at least an A-number of the subscriber, wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including information regarding an account balance set by an operator;

generating charging pulses, and forwarding them from the exchange to the service data point SCP during the call in a manner defined by a monitoring request sent by a service control function SCF;

during the call, calculating charges for the call based on the charging pulses and charging information about the call provided by the service control point SCP, wherein the real time charges for the call become known; and

reducing the account balance in real time according to the charges incurred during the call only when the call is established with a predetermined B-subscriber number as indicated in the subscriber record.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:

in case of a new subscriber, routing a call signal to the intelligent network; and

immediately creating thereafter, in the database, a subscriber record for said new subscriber.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the new subscriber is a mobile subscriber visiting the mobile phone network, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

creating a second subscriber record for the visiting mobile subscriber in connection with location updating; and

controlling all of the calls of the visiting mobile subscriber with the help of information contained in the second subscriber record.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

providing the subscriber with current account balance information when the subscriber calls a common call number and inputs identification data; and

upon the subscriber inputting the predetermined B-subscriber number, and upon establishing a speech connection, reducing the account balance in real time, wherein the subscriber can call from any subscriber connection without that connection being charged.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the subscriber record contains additional information regarding an allowed number of calls, as set by the operator for one subscriber, and wherein said method further comprises the step of:

preventing a speech connection from being established if a number of calls placed by the one subscriber exceeds the allowed number of calls.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of:

applying the allowed number of calls only when a speech connection is established to a predetermined B-subscriber number, as indicated in the subscriber record.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of:

sending a calling subscriber, and optionally a called subscriber, a voice message when the account balance reaches zero or the number of calls exceeds the allowed number of calls.

16. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:

releasing the speech connection in a controlled manner as the account balance reaches zero.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of:

sending a calling subscriber, and optionally a called subscriber, a voice message when the account balance reaches zero or the number of calls exceeds the allowed number of calls.

18. A method according to claim 9, wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including statistical data regarding the calls placed by the subscriber, and wherein the operator is able to use these data to control and manage the calls of the subscriber.

19. A method for monitoring subscriber charges in a telephone network, comprising the steps of:

forwarding a subscriber call signal to an intelligent network by a service switching point SSP associated with an exchange of the network, wherein said subscriber call signal is associated with a triggering condition;

receiving the subscriber call signal by a service control point SCP, which subsequently checks whether subscriber data is found in a database in a service data point SDP associated with the service control point SCP;

monitoring the subscriber charges, after a speech connection has been established with a predefined B subscriber as defined by the subscriber data, by supplying charging pulses from the exchange to the service control point SCP and cumulatively calculating the charges for the call during the call; and

continuously comparing accumulated charges with an alarm limit, as indicated in the database.

20. A method according to claim 19 further comprising the step of:

registering the subscriber by creating a new subscriber record in the database, if subscriber data is not found in the database; and

inputting an A-number for the subscriber in the subscriber record.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

providing additional processing is accordance with instructions which are subscriber specific, if the alarm limit is reached;

said instruction being included in the subscriber record.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

providing additional processing in accordance with instructions which are general for all subscribers, if the alarm limit is reached.

23. A method for controlling a call from a telephone capable of reaching IN services, wherein a user is provided with a personal identification and an account, said method comprising the steps of:

triggering a call signal of the user to a service control point SCP of a telephone network by using a certain code as a trigger key;

checking user authority based on a personal identification code of the user and the information received by the service control point SCP;

checking the user'"'"'s current account balance from a database; and

monitoring predetermined call parameters during the call based on information received by the service control point SCP.

24. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of:

releasing the call if the account is empty.

25. A method according to claim 24 further comprising the step of:

notifying the user about the account balance, preferably by a voice message or on a display of the user station.

26. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of:

notifying the user about the account balance, preferably by a voice message or on a display of the user station.

27. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of:

connecting the call to a desired number if the account balance is positive.

28. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of:

monitoring charges for the call based on charging information and charging pulses, until the call is ended or until the account is empty.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein the personal identification is selected from a group comprising an A-number, a mobile number, and a personal identification number PIN.

30. A method according to claim 23, wherein said certain code is selected from a group comprising an account code, an A-number or a B-number of the user.

31. A system for subscriber administration in a mobile telephone network having an exchange to which is connected a service switching point SSP of an intelligent network IN, the service switching point providing access from the mobile telephone network to a number of services offered by a service control point SCP of the intelligent network, said system comprising:

a service data point SDP associated with the service control point SCP, wherein said service data point SDP comprises a database of subscribers to be managed, and an individual subscriber record which includes at least an A-number of the subscriber; and

subscriber administration logic associated with the service control point SCP, wherein said subscriber administration logic immediately creates in the database a subscriber record for a new subscriber, when the service switching point SSP has routed the call signal of a new subscriber to be managed to the intelligent network, and wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including statistical data regarding subscriber calls, the operator being able to use this data to control and manage the calls of the subscriber.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the subscriber record contains additional data including information regarding an allowed number of calls, set by the operator for one subscriber, and wherein said system further comprises:

means for preventing a speech connection from becoming established if the number of calls exceeds the allowed number.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the allowed number is applied only when a speech connection is established to a predetermined B-subscriber number, as indicated in the subscriber record.

34. A system according to claim 32, wherein said system further comprises:

means for sending the calling subscriber, and optionally the called subscriber, a voice message when the number of calls exceeds the allowed number.