Tariff determination in mobile telecommunications networks

• US 6,650,886 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lundström, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/614,836
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/432, 455/433, 455/560, 455/422, 379/114, 379/121, 379/130
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming

Abstract

A method of providing call charge information in a mobile telecommunications system. The method comprises maintaining in a home mobile telecommunications network a set of call charging algorithms which correspond to respective foreign mobile telecommunications networks. The algorithms are transferred periodically to respective foreign networks, wherein the transferred algorithms may be used by the receiving foreign networks to calculate call charge information for subscribers of the home network when they are roaming in the foreign networks.

Claims

1. A method of providing call charge information in a mobile telecommunications system, the method comprising:

maintaining in a home mobile telecommunications network a set of call charging algorithms which correspond to respective foreign mobile telecommunications networks; and

periodically transferring the algorithms to respective foreign networks,

wherein the transferred algorithms are used by the receiving foreign networks to calculate call charge information for subscribers of the home network when they are roaming in the foreign networks.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the charging algorithm comprises a multiplying factor by which the foreign network multiplies its own charge.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said set of call charging algorithms are maintained at a rating node of the home network.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the algorithms transferred to the foreign networks are received by charging nodes of the foreign networks.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the charging nodes of the foreign networks are associated with respective switches.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a charging algorithm is sent to a foreign network upon receipt at the home network of a polling message from the foreign network.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the home network maintains a register of foreign networks or foreign network charging nodes with whom it has a roaming agreement and notifies those foreign networks or foreign network charging nodes of changes in associated charging algorithms.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the charging algorithms sent to the foreign networks are stamped with an activation time and date.

9. Apparatus for providing call charge information in a mobile telecommunications system, the apparatus comprising:

a rating node for use in a home mobile telecommunications network and arranged to maintain a set of call charging algorithms which correspond to respective foreign mobile telecommunications networks;

charging nodes for use in respective foreign networks to calculate call charges for subscribers of the home network roaming in the foreign networks; and

transfer means associated with said rating node for periodically transferring the algorithms to respective foreign network charging nodes;

wherein the transferred algorithms are used by the receiving foreign networks to calculate call charge information for said roaming subscribers.