Method and system for implementing charging communication services

• US 7,606,356 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Ke, Lin, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/593,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.06, 379/115.01, 379/121.01, 379/121.04, 379/127.01, 379/127.03, 379/127, 379/127.05
• US Class Current: 379/121.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• 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 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• 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

Abstract

A method for implementing charging communication services is provided, wherein, the charging system includes a charging module and an expression analyzer; the charging module first determines a plurality of basic expression factors, and a user configures expressions based on the expression factors; the charging module reads a communication record, obtains the values of the expression factors by analyzing the communication record, and transmits the values of the expression factors to the expression analyzer; the expression analyzer performs the expression operation assigned with the expression factor values and finally returns the operation result to a charging module; and the charging module searches the corresponding charging rate according to the operation result and calculate the fee. This invention makes the configuration of charging rules more flexible and convenient, raising the development possibility of programs, providing quick support for new service demands, unifying the charging policy description, and simplifying the maintenance work.

Claims

1. A method for implementing charging communication services, comprising:

Step A;

determining a plurality of expression factors related with charging, and configuring respectively corresponding expressions for charging rules which correspond to various communication scenes based on the expression factors;

Step B;

reading a communication record corresponding to the communication scene, and obtaining the values of the expression factors by analyzing the communication record;

Step C;

matching the values of the expression factors to the expressions corresponding to various charging rules, and obtaining an expression matching the values; and

Step D;

determining a charging rule corresponding to the expression obtained in Step C, and calculating the fees according to the charging rate corresponding to the charging rule.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in Step A, determining a plurality of expression factors related with charging, comprises:

determining the expression factors based on the service type of the communication scene.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the expression factors related with charging comprises at least one factor of:

calling number, called number, communication time, communication duration, home city of the calling, visited city of the calling, home city of the called, visited city of the called, home province of the calling, visited province of the calling, home province of the called, visited province of the called, home country of the calling, visited country of the calling, home country of the called, visited country of the called.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in Step A, configuring respectively corresponding expressions for the charging rules, comprises:

configuring the expressions with the expression factors and operators in accordance with logical syntax rules.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in Step A, configuring respectively corresponding expressions for the charging rules, comprises:

saving the expressions and the charging rules thereof in a way of one-to-one correspondence.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Step C comprises:

assigning the values to each of the expressions corresponding to the charging rules, performing the operation of the expressions assigned with expression factors'"'"' values, and based on the operation result, determining the expressions, which satisfy the logical relationship after being calculated with the values of the expression factors, as the expressions matching to the expression factors'"'"' values.

7. The method according to claim 1, in Step D, calculating the fees according to the charging rule, further comprising:

outputting a document of Call Detail Records (CDRs).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

modifying expressions corresponding to the charging rules.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

configuring new expressions for new charging rules.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, determining a plurality of expression factors related with charging, comprises:

determining the expression factors in accordance with a uniform rule; and

configuring respectively corresponding expressions, comprises;

configuring respectively corresponding expressions in accordance with a uniform rule.

11. The method according to claim 2, wherein, the expression factors related with charging comprises at least one factor of:

calling number, called number, communication time, communication duration, home city of the calling, visited city of the calling, home city of the called, visited city of the called, home province of the calling, visited province of the calling, home province of the called, visited province of the called, home country of the calling, visited country of the calling, home country of the called, visited country of the called.

12. The method according to claim 4, wherein, in Step A, configuring respectively corresponding expressions for the charging rules, comprises:

saving the expressions and the charging rules thereof in a way of one-to-one correspondence.

13. A system for charging communication services, comprising at least a charging module for calculating fees based on the charging rate corresponding to a charging rule, and further comprising an expression analyzer, wherein:

the charging module is further configured to determine a plurality of the expression factors related with charging, and providing the expression factors for configuring expressions for various charging rules;

the charging module is further configured to read a communication record, obtain the values of the expression factors by analyzing the communication record, and provide the values of the expression factors for the expression analyzer; and

the expression analyzer is configured to acquire the corresponding expressions for various charging rules, determining the expression matching to the values of the expression factors obtained from the charging module, and returning the charging rule corresponding to the determined expression to the charging module.