Access-point-dependent rate fixing of telecommunication links

• US 7,110,760 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Busropan, Bryan Jerrel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Application Number:
  US09/890,641
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/422, 455/456.1, 455/439, 455/432.1, 370/332, 370/352, 370/389, 709/201, 379/11.01, 379/114.01
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• 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 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• 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 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

For the access-point dependent calculation of telecommunication rates by way of a network, connecting data is generated in response to obtaining and using, by a subscriber or group of subscribers, telecommunication links. The connection data contains data identifying a network-access point used by a subscriber. During a specific period of time, there is stored connecting data in a connecting-data file. By, as a function of data on access points used in the period of time by a subscriber or a group of subscribers, determining to which of the access points there are coupled rates specific to the subscriber in question or group of subscribers, access-point-dependent rating is made possible in a simple and automatically self-regulating way. A system for applying the proposed way of rating is described as well.

Claims

1. A method for access-point dependent calculation of telecommunication rates by way of a specific network, the method comprising the steps of:

generating connecting data relating to telecommunication links obtained and used by a subscriber or a group of subscribers, said connecting data containing data identifying an access point used for each telecommunication link,

using said data identifying the access point used for each telecommunication link to associate a specific rate to an access point or a plurality of access points most used by said subscriber or group of subscribers, and

automatically modifying the access point or the plurality of access points to which specific rates are associated if use of the access point or the plurality of access points is modified.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said subscribers or said group of subscribers identify themselves at least before, during or after obtaining a link to the network by way of an access-point-independent identification code.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network is a mobile network whose access points wirelessly communicate with said subscribers or said group of subscribers in zones served by the access points.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association of the specific rate to the access point or the plurality of access points most used by said subscriber or group of subscribers at least partly takes place in response to generating connecting data relating to telecommunication links obtained and used by a subscriber or group of subscribers of a different network.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the association of the specific rate to the access point or the plurality of access points most used by said subscriber or group of subscribers takes place on the basis of statistical relationships between the connecting data of access points of the specific network and the connecting data of access points of the different network by respective subscribers to both networks.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating connecting data includes associating said connecting data which identifies an access point used for each telecommunication link with a specific time period.

7. A telecommunication system arranged for access-point-dependent calculation of telecommunication rates, comprising:

a telecommunication network;

a recording unit operatively coupled to the telecommunication network and generating connecting data relating to telecommunication links obtained and used by a subscriber or a group of subscribers, said connecting data containing data identifying an access point used for each telecommunication link, and

a processor unit operatively coupled to the recording unit and using said data identifying the access point used for each telecommunication link to associate a specific rate to an access point or a plurality of access points most used by said subscriber or group of subscribers,

wherein the processor unit automatically modifies the access point or the plurality of access points to which specific rates are associated if use of the access points or the plurality of access points is modified.

8. The telecommunication system according to claim 7, wherein said telecommunication network is a mobile network and the access points of said telecommunication network are constituted by transmitters and receivers of said mobile network.

9. The telecommunication system according to claim 7, further comprising at least a connection for connecting to a different network, said recording unit and said connection receiving and recording connecting data on the use of access points of said different network.

10. The telecommunication system according to claim 9, wherein one of said networks is a nonmobile network and the other of said networks is a mobile network.

11. The telecommunication system according to claim 9, further comprising at least a connection for connecting to a different network, said recording unit and said connection receiving and recording connecting data on the use of access points of said different network.

12. The telecommunication system according to claim 11, wherein one of said networks is a nonmobile network and the other of said networks is a mobile network.

13. The telecommunication system according to claim 7, wherein the association of the specific rate to the access point or plurality of access points most used by said subscriber or group of subscribers takes place on the basis of statistical relationships between the connecting data of access points of the specific network and the connecting data of access points of the different network by respective subscribers to both networks.