Implementation of access service

• US 6,240,091 B1
• Filed: 10/17/1997
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ginzboorg, Philip, Ekberg, Jan-Erik Gustav, Laitinen, Pekka Johannes, Yla-Jaaski, Antti
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US08/955,561
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 705/411, 370/352, 370/353, 370/355, 370/369, 370/469, 370/270, 370/401, 379/111, 379/114, 379/121, 379/130, 379/399, 379/13, 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01, 395/200.59, 709/929
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1414 in real-time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1421 Indication of expected costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1425 involving dedicated fields in the data packet for billing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1482 involving use of telephony infrastructure for billing for the transport of data, e.g. call detail record [CDR] or intelligent network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 : Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home

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.

Claims

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.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal, when it has access to the services network providing the services, is used to generate at certain intervals charging records provided with a subscriber-specific digital signature, each record representing the charging for a certain connection time.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal, having gained access to the services network providing the services, is always sent a payment request message when the volume of data transferred during the service has reached a predefined limit.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the terminal is sent information about the volume of data corresponding to the payment request message or about the amount of the payment corresponding to the payment request message.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the connection between the interface elements and the terminal is implemented as a wireline ADSL connection.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the interface elements and the terminal is implemented as a wireless connection.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the charging server is part of a home agent defined in mobile IP protocol, and the access server is part of a foreign agent defined in the mobile IP protocol, the foreign agents serving different subnetworks and informing the charging server of each terminal as to in which subnetwork the terminal in question is currently located.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the charging servers communicate with home agents defined in mobile IP protocol and the access servers with foreign agents defined in the mobile IP protocol, the foreign agents serving different subnetworks and informing the charging server of each terminal, as to in which subnetwork the terminal in question is currently located.

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.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the address of the terminal is transferred through a separate access server.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the charging server, in response to having received the network address, sends the terminal a contract message stating that the user should make a contract relating to the access service.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the terminal automatically accepts the contract.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the terminal prompts the current user of the terminal to accept the contract.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the terminal returns the contract message with a subscriber-specific digital signature, the charging server verifies the signature, and when it detects that the signature is valid, the charging server starts a process for connecting the terminal through the interface elements to the services network providing the services.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the data about the subscriber for the current user are transferred to the charging server in the signed contract message.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the charging server starts the process by giving a connection command to the access server which is used to control the interface elements.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein a router is used as the interface elements, and the access server maintains a router access list which includes the addresses of the terminals given access through the router to the services network providing the services.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the access server compares at predefined intervals the list of paying terminals, stored in the charging server, to the list of paying terminals, stored in the router, and connects or disconnects terminal connections to the services network providing the services, if the router list does not conform to the charging server list.

19. A method according to claim 9, wherein data about the subscriber for the current user are transferred to the charging server in the same message which contains the information about the network address of the terminal which starts the connection.

20. A method according to claim 9, wherein the charging server, in response to having received the address, queries the terminal as to the subscriber identity data.

21. A method according to claim 9, wherein billing information included in the charging messages is sent from the charging server to a separate billing system for forming subscriber-specific bills.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the billing information is sent to the billing system of the public switched telephone network.

23. A method according to claim 9, wherein a message including said network address of the terminal is routed to said charging server via another charging server.

24. A method according to claim 9, wherein the charging server determines, after having received from the terminal a charging message indicating a payment, the current amount of outstanding debt of the user, and, if the debt remaining exceeds a predefined threshold value after said payment, the charging server sends the terminal a message which states that an additional payment is required from the terminal.

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.

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.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the list is updated immediately before displaying it.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the list is updated whenever the terminal obtains access to the services network providing the services.

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.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the connection means includes a separate server located within the network to control the interface means in accordance with the messages sent by the charging server, the interface means comprising a router.

31. A method according to claim 29, wherein the identification means comprises a smart card reader which is connected to the terminal, and a user-operated smart card on which is stored at least the identifier of the subscriber associated with the user.