Multiple home zone areas within a mobile telecommunications network

• US 6,044,261 A
• Filed: 03/19/1997
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Kazmi, Mustafa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US08/822,243
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/405, 455/408, 455/422, 455/456, 455/432, 455/445, 455/457, 455/433
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 15/8083 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A register correlating a number of different home zones with a particular subscription is associated with a home location register (HLR). A different geographic location, effective time period, and corresponding charging rate can be associated with each home zone. In response to a request to establish a call connection with a particular mobile station traveling within its coverage area, the serving mobile switching center (MSC) communicates with the associated HLR to determine which home zone is currently effective for the relevant mobile station. The serving MSC then determines whether the mobile station is currently located within the determined home zone. In response to an affirmative determination, a corresponding reduced charging rate is applied towards the resulting call connection.

Claims

1. A method for charging a subscription for a mobile call connection within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication to establish a call connection with a particular mobile station associated with said subscription;

determining which one of a plurality of particular reduced charging areas selected by a subscriber, each charging area having an effective time period and associated with said subscriber'"'"'s subscription, is in effect at the current time of said call connection;

determining whether said mobile station is currently within said determined in effect reduced charging area; and

if yes,

using a first charging area rate for said call connection;

otherwise,

using a second charging rate for said call connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining said particular reduced charging area further comprises the step of receiving data indicating said particular charging area from a home location register (HLR) associated with said subscription by a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of receiving said data further comprises the step of said MSC requesting and receiving said data from said HLR after receiving an indication to establish a call connection with said mobile station.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of receiving said data further comprises the step of periodically receiving data representing an applicable reduced charging area from said HLR as said reduced charging area associated with said subscription changes with time.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said data are received using a Mobile Application Part (MAP) based signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said time associated with said call connection includes a time of the day.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said time associated with said call connection includes a day of the week.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of informing said mobile station of said charging rate.

9. A method for determining a charging rate for a call connection with a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of:

associating a plurality of reduced charging areas with a mobile subscription, each of said plurality of reduced charging areas having a different effective time period and each reduced charging area individually tailored to a user having the mobile subscription;

receiving an indication to establish a call connection with a mobile station associated with said mobile subscription;

determining that one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is currently effective for said mobile station;

determining that said mobile station is located within said determined effective one of said plurality of reduced charging areas; and

charging a subscription associated with said mobile station at a reduced rate for said call connection.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of associating said plurality of reduced charging areas is performed within a home location register (HLR) associated with said subscription.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of associating said plurality of reduced charging areas further comprises the step of associating a separate charging rate for each of said plurality of reduced charging areas.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said determined one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is associated with one or more cell areas and wherein said step of determining that said mobile station is located within said determined one of said plurality of reduced charging areas further comprises the steps of:

determining a cell area currently serving said mobile station; and

determining whether said determined cell area is one of said cell areas associated with said determined reduced charging area.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of determining that one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is currently effective further comprises the step of requesting data representing said reduced charging area that is currently effective from a home location register (HLR) associated with said subscription by a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station in response to said received indication.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of determining that one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is currently effective further comprises the step of receiving data representing said reduced charging area as said time period associated with said reduced charging area becomes effective, said data received at a mobile switching center (MSC) serving said mobile station from a home location register (HLR) associated with said subscription.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprises the step of informing said mobile station whether said mobile station is within said determined reduced charging area.

16. A system for determining a charging rate for a call connection with a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, comprising:

a register for storing data associating a plurality of reduced charging areas with a subscription, each of said plurality of reduced charging areas further having a different time period specifying when reducing charging within said reduced charging area is effective and each reduced charging area being individually tailored to a user having the subscription; and

a telecommunications switch for receiving an indication to establish a call connection with a mobile station associated with said subscription, said telecommunications switch associated with said register and further comprising;

means for determining that one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is currently effective for said mobile station;

means for determining that said mobile station is located within said determined effective reduced charging area; and

means for charging said subscription associated with said mobile station with a reduced charge for said call connection.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of reducing charging areas is associated with a corresponding charging rate.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said register is a home location register (HLR) associated with said subscription and said telecommunications node further comprises means for receiving said data from said HLR.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said means for receiving said data from said HLR requests and receives said data representing said reduced charging area currently effective in response to said received indication.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein said telecommunications node comprises a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station.

21. A telecommunications node for storing subscription data associated with a particular subscription, comprising:

means for storing data associating a plurality of reduced charging areas with a subscription, each of said plurality of reduced charging areas having a corresponding different time period specifying when reduced charging within said reduced charging area is effective for said subscription and each reduced charging area being individually tailored to a user having the subscription; and

means for determining which one of said plurality of reduced charging areas is currently effective for said subscription so that the subscription may be charged at a reduced rate for a call connection with a mobile station associated with the subscription if that mobile station is located within the determined effective one of said reduced charging areas.

22. The telecommunications node of claim 21 wherein said means are associated with a home location register (HLR) serving said subscription.

23. The telecommunications node of claim 21 further comprising means for associating a different charging rate for each of said plurality of reduced charging areas.