Method and apparatus for performing a charging limit control

• US 6,665,387 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hannu, Kasvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US09/753,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.09, 379/112.01, 379/112.04, 379/111, 379/115.01, 379/121.01, 379/114.15, 379/114.16, 379/114.17, 379/114.2, 379/114.28, 379/144.01, 379/114.01
• US Class Current: 379/114.16
• 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 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/854 Available credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• 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 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8166 Available credit

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing a charging limit control in a telecommunication switching network is disclosed, wherein a charging limit tile is provided comprising a plurality of subscriber-specific charging limit records. The charging limit control is performed by using a record index in order to access the subscriber-specific charging limit. Thus, the charging limit control is adaptable to different charging limit values of different call types, which can be provided in the corresponding subscriber-specific charging limit record. Moreover, the subscriber-specific charging limit record may comprise subrecords used for providing different charging limit values for different call types or services, wherein own charging limits can be allocated to different call types.

Claims

1. A method for performing a charging limit control in a telecommunication switching network, the method comprising:

writing limit data to a charging limit file to set a subscriber-specific charging limit; and

accessing a subscriber-specific charging limit record during a call via a record index;

using subrecords for charging limits of different call types;

accessing the subrecords on the basis of subscriber data; and

checking a next initialization time every time a remaining value is read, wherein when the next initialization time has been reached, the remaining value is set to an initial value and an initialization time is set to a next time to initialize.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein subscriber data are updated by the record index.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subrecords are accessed dependent upon a destination information provided in the subscriber data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the subrecords is used as a default limit value, wherein the default limit value is used for calls which do not have specified charging limits.

5. An apparatus for performing charging limit control in a telecommunication switching network, comprising:

means for storing a charging limit file, the charging limit file comprising a plurality of subscriber-specific charging limit records, each subscriber-specific charging limit record comprising a plurality of subrecords, each subrecord at least comprising charging limits of different call types, information about an initial limit value, a remaining value and a next initialization time, the next initialization value indicating when the remaining value should be initialized to the initial value; and

control means for setting a subscriber-specific charging limit, the control means arranged to write limit data to the charging limit file, access the subscriber-specific charging limit record during a call via a record index, and access the subrecords on the basis of subscriber data,

wherein the apparatus is adapted to check the next initialization time every time the remaining value is read, to set the remaining value to the initial value in response to the initialization time being reached and to set the initialization time to the next time to initialize.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control means comprises a call control means of a switching system.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the call control means is arranged to update the record index in a subscriber data file provided in the means for storing.