Implementation of access service
First Claim
1. A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps ofproviding the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service, using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal, connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, received according to a predefined rate and the signatures included in the messages are verified as valid, and sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the implementation of an access service in a telecommunications network comprising an access network, a network providing services, and user-operated terminals which are connected to the access network. The access service is offered by connecting the user terminal to the network providing the services through interface elements which connect the access network and the network providing the services. As a response to the access service at least one charging record is generated. The record is transferred to billing means for billing the access service subscriber for the access service. So that it would be possible to combine the access service with reliable and versatile billing in a connectionless network, the terminal is used to generate charging messages which are provided with a subscriber-specific digital signature, and the signatures generated by the terminal are verified outside of the terminal. The terminal is given access to the network providing the services, if said messages are received in an acceptable manner. The terminal sends the network data about the subscriber associated with the current user of the terminal, whereby said data are used to verify the validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal at the billing of the subscriber in question.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of
providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service, using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal, connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, received according to a predefined rate and the signatures included in the messages are verified as valid, and sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.
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9. A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of
providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service, using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, using at least one separate charging server so that each terminal has an assigned charging server that receives the charging messages generated by the terminals, wherein at least the network address of each terminal in question is transferred to the charging server, when the user starts the connection, verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal, connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.
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25. A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of
providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service, using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, and on a service-specific basis for each service which is being used from the services network providing the services, verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal, connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.
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26. A method for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network including an access network, a services network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected to the access network, the method comprising the steps of
providing the access service by connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, generating at least one charging record as a response to the access service, said record being relayed to billing means for charging a subscriber of the access service for the access service, using the terminal to generate charging messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures to the network, using at least one separate charging server so that each terminal has an assigned charging server that receives the charging messages generated by the terminals, wherein the terminal displays a list of access services available for the current user of each terminal, verifying outside the terminal the signatures generated by the terminal, connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services, if said messages provided with subscriber-specific digital signatures are successfully verified, and sending from the terminal data concerning the current user of the terminal, and using said data to verify validity of the signatures and to target the charging messages received from the terminal in order to bill the subscriber in question.
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29. A system for implementing an access service in a telecommunications network, the system including an access network, a network providing services, and user-operated terminals connected through the access network to the network providing services, the system comprising
connection means for connecting, through interface elements, the user terminal to the services network providing the services, and charging record generation means for generating at least one charging record (CDR) whenever a connection is made between the user and the services network providing the services, message generation means in the terminals, for generating charging messages from the terminals, said means being provided with signature means for adding a subscriber-specific digital signature to a charging message, verification elements, for verifying the charging messages generated by the terminals, identification means, for identifying the subscriber associated with the current user of the terminal, and the connection means being responsive to the verification means for connecting the terminal to the services network providing the services when the terminal sends charging messages that are successfully verified, and if said messages are received according to a predefined rate and the signatures included in the messages are verified as valid.
Specification