Implementing an intelligent network service for a packet-switched service using a node interfacing a mobile communications network to a packet data network

• US 7,609,682 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Feng, Jie, Van de Velde, Thierry, Ang, Soon Teck Gibson
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Brian D
• Application Number:
  US10/161,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,703 Days
• Field of Search: 370/349, 370/338, 370/352, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1095 Inter-network session transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 : Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 : Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 : characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 : Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/853 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• 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 17/10 : Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 : with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 : on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 : with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 : with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• 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 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 : Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 : UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 : IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 : Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/78 : Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8162 : Calculate maximum communication time or volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 : Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A module interfaces a mobile communications network to a packet data network and is capable of implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a packet-switched service for subscribers of the mobile communications network. A network interface module may be operative to implement such prepaid charging in real-time. The network interface module may determine both a count and a time period from the prepaid balance, and compare the number of information units exchanged during the service and the duration of the service against the count and time period, respectively. An entry for a subscriber in a Subscriber Information Registry of a home mobile communications network may be defined such that when a subscriber roams into a visited mobile communications network, the network interface module of the home mobile communications network is used to implement a session between the mobile terminal of the subscriber and a node of a packet data network.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a packet-switched service on a first mobile communications network having an interface module that serves as an interface for communicating packets between the first mobile communications network and a packet data network external to the first mobile communications network, the method comprising an act of:

(A) implementing the Intelligent Network Service on the interface module for a session between a subscriber of the first mobile communications network and a node located on the packet data network,

wherein, when the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network, the Intelligent Network Service is implemented in the first mobile communications network without coordinating with the Intelligent Network Service of the second mobile communications network such that necessary network elements in the first mobile communications network and the second mobile communications network are configured to enable implementation of the Intelligent Network Service for the roaming subscriber, and

wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented entirely in the first mobile communications network when the subscriber is roaming in the second mobile communications network and when the second mobile communications network is not configured to implement the Intelligent Network service for packet-switched service for subscribers from the first mobile communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications network includes a service control function module for controlling implementation of the Intelligent Network Service, wherein act (A) further comprises:

exchanging one or more packets between the interface module and the service control function module to implement the Intelligent Network Service for the session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein act (A) comprises:

transmitting a packet from the interface module to the service control function module in response to an event associated with the session.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the service control function module is operative to implement the Intelligent Network Service for circuit-switched voice services in accordance with at least one of Phase One of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic and Phase Two of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic, wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(B) implementing the Intelligent Network Service for packet-switched services on the interface module in accordance with Phase Three of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is prepaid charging.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the prepaid charging is real-time prepaid charging for obtaining packet data contents.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communications network further comprises a subscriber information register including an entry storing subscriber information for the subscriber to the first mobile communications network, the entry to be accessed in response to the subscriber attaching to the first mobile communications network or another mobile communications network, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(B) defining the entry such that if the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network and initiates a session with a node located on the packet data network, the session is established using the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(B) metering at the interface module a number of information units exchanged between the subscriber of the first mobile communications network and another party during the session.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of:

(B) converting, at the interface module, circuit-based parameters to packet-based parameters to implement the Intelligent Network Service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein act (B) comprises:

converting an amount of time to a count.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface module is operative to implement a Gi interface between the first mobile communications network and the packet data network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface module comprises at least part of a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Function module.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a Code-Division Multiple Access network and the interface module is at least part of a Packet Data Serving Node.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communications network is a home network for the subscriber and wherein the interface module implementing the Intelligent Network Service is provided in the home network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the Intelligent Network Service provides a data service in the packet data network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the subscriber roams into the second mobile communications network and requests a PDP session with the node of the packet data network, the PDP session is established using only the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented only in the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

18. A system for implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a packet-switched service on a first mobile communications network, the system comprising:

an interface module that serves as an interface for communicating packets between the first mobile communications network and is operative to implement the Intelligent Network Service for a session between a subscriber to the first mobile communications network and a node located on a packet data network,

wherein, when the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network, the Intelligent Network Service is implemented in the first mobile communications network without coordinating with the Intelligent Network Service of the second mobile communications network such that necessary network elements in the first mobile communications network and the second mobile communications network are configured to enable implementation of the Intelligent Network Service for the roaming subscriber, and

wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented entirely in the first mobile communications network when the subscriber is roaming in the second mobile communications network and when the second mobile communications network is not configured to implement the Intelligent Network service for packet-switched service for subscribers from the first mobile communications network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile communications network includes a service control function module for controlling implementation of the Intelligent Network Service, and wherein the interface module is operative to exchange one or more packets with the service control function module to implement the Intelligent Network Service for the session.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the interface module is further operative to transmit a packet from the interface module to the service control function module in response to an event associated with the session.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the service control function module is operative to implement the Intelligent Network Service for circuit-switched voice services in accordance with at least one of Phase Two and Phase Three of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic, and

wherein the interface module is operative to convert circuit-based parameters to packet-based parameters to implement the Intelligent Network Service.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is prepaid charging.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the prepaid charging is real-time prepaid charging.

24. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a subscriber information register that has an entry storing subscriber information for the subscriber to the first mobile communications network, wherein the entry to be accessed in response to the subscriber attaching to the first mobile communications network or another mobile communications network, and wherein the entry is defined such that if the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network and initiates a session with a node located on the packet data network, the session will be established using the interface module.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface module is operative to meter a number of information units exchanged between the subscriber of the first mobile communications network and another party during the session.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface module is operative to convert circuit-based parameters to packet-based parameters to implement the Intelligent Network Service.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the interface module is further operative to convert an amount of time to a count.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface module is operative to implement a Gi interface between the first mobile communications network and the packet data network.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and wherein the interface node comprises at least part of a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Function module.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a Code-Division Multiple Access network and the interface module is at least part of a Packet Data Serving Node.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the first mobile communications network is a home network for the subscriber and wherein the interface module implementing the Intelligent Network Service is provided in the home network.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the Intelligent Network Service provides a data service in the packet data network.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein, if the subscriber roams into the second mobile communications network and requests a PDP session with the node of the packet data network, the PDP session is established using only the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented only in the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

35. A system for implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a packet-switched service on a first mobile communications network, the system comprising:

an interface module that serves as an interface for communicating packets between the first mobile communications network and a packet data network external to the first mobile communications network; and

means for implementing the Intelligent Network Service for a session between a subscriber to the first mobile communications network and a node located on the packet data network,

wherein, when the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network, the Intelligent Network Service is implemented in the first mobile communications network without coordinating with the Intelligent Network Service of the second mobile communications network such that necessary network elements in the first mobile communications network and the second mobile communications network are configured to enable implementation of the Intelligent Network Service for the roaming subscriber, and

wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented entirely in the first mobile communications network when the subscriber is roaming in the second mobile communications network and when the second mobile communications network is not configured to implement the Intelligent Network service for packet-switched service for subscribers from the first mobile communications network.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the mobile communications network includes a service control function module for controlling implementation of the Intelligent Network Service, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for exchanging one or more packets between the interface module and the service control function module to implement the Intelligent Network Service for the session.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the interface module comprises:

means for transmitting a packet from the interface module to the service control function module in response to an event associated with the session.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the service control function module is operative to implement the Intelligent Network Service for circuit-switched voice services in accordance with at least one of Phase One and Phase Two of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic for circuit-switched voice services, and wherein the interface module comprises means for implementing the Intelligent Network Service for packet-switched services in accordance with Phase Three of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is prepaid charging.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the prepaid charging is real-time prepaid charging.

41. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

a subscriber information register that includes an entry storing subscriber information for the subscriber to the first mobile communications network, wherein the entry to be accessed in response to the subscriber attaching to the first mobile communications network or another mobile communications network, and wherein the entry is defined such that, if the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network and initiates a session with a node located on the packet data network, the session will be established using the interface module.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the interface module comprises:

means for metering a number of information units exchanged between the subscriber of the first mobile communications network and another party during the session.

43. The system of claim 35, wherein the interface module comprises means for converting circuit-based parameters to packet-based parameters to implement the Intelligent Network Service.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the means for converting the circuit-based parameters comprises:

means for converting an amount of time to a count.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface module is operative to implement a Gi interface between the first mobile communications network and the packet data network.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and wherein the interface module comprises at least part of a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Function module.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a Code-Division Multiple Access network and the interface module is at least part of a Packet Data Serving Node.

48. The system of claim 35, wherein the first mobile communications network is a home network for the subscriber and wherein the interface module implementing the Intelligent Network Service is provided in the home network.

49. The system of claim 35, wherein the Intelligent Network Service provides a data service in the packet data network.

50. The system of claim 35, wherein, if the subscriber roams into the second mobile communications network and requests a PDP session with the node of the packet data network, the PDP session is established using only the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

51. The system of claim 35, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented only in the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

52. A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon computer executable codes, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute a method of implementing an Intelligent Network Service for a packet-switched service on a first mobile communications network having an interface module that serves as an interface for communicating packets between the first mobile communications network and a packet data network external to the first mobile communications network, the process comprising an act of:

(A) implementing the Intelligent Network Service on the interface module for a session between a subscriber to the first mobile communications network and a node located on the packet data network,

wherein, when the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network, the Intelligent Network Service is implemented in the first mobile communications network without coordinating with the Intelligent Network Service of the second mobile communications network such that necessary network elements in the first mobile communications network and the second mobile communications network are configured to enable implementation of the Intelligent Network Service for the roaming subscriber, and

wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented entirely in the first mobile communications network when the subscriber is roaming in the second mobile communications network and when the second mobile communications network is not configured to implement the Intelligent Network service for packet-switched service for subscribers from the first mobile communications network.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the mobile communications network includes a service control function module for controlling implementation of the Intelligent Network Service, and wherein act (A) further comprises:

exchanging one or more packets between the interface module and the service control function module to implement the Intelligent Network Service for the session.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein act (A) comprises:

transmitting a packet from the interface module to the service control function module in response to an event associated with the session.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the service control function module is configured to implement the Intelligent Network Service for circuit-switched voice services in accordance with at least one of Phase One and Phase Two of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic, wherein the process further comprises an act of:

(B) implementing the Intelligent Network Service for packet-switched services on the interface module in accordance with Phase Three of Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is prepaid charging.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the prepaid charging is real-time prepaid charging.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the first mobile communications network further comprises a subscriber information register that includes an entry storing subscriber information for the subscriber to the first mobile communications network, wherein the entry to be accessed in response to the subscriber attaching to the first mobile communications network or another mobile communications network, and wherein the process further comprises an act of:

(B) defining the entry such that if the subscriber roams into a second mobile communications network and initiates a session with a node located on the packet data network, the session will be established using the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the process further comprises an act of:

(B) metering at the interface module a number of information units exchanged between the subscriber of the first mobile communications network and a location of another party during the session.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the process further comprises:

(B) converting, at the interface module, circuit-based parameters to packet-based parameters to implement the Intelligent Network Service.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60, wherein act (B) comprises:

converting an amount of time to a count.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface module is operative to implement a Gi interface between the first mobile communications network and the packet data network.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises General Packet Radio Service network or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network, and the interface node comprises at least a part of a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Function module of the General Packet Radio Service network.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the first mobile communications network comprises a Code-Division Multiple Access network and the interface module is at least as part of a Packet Data Serving Node.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the first mobile communications network is a home network for the subscriber and wherein the interface module implementing the Intelligent Network Service is provided in the home network.

66. The computer program product computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the Intelligent Network Service provides a data service in the packet data network.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein, if the subscriber roams into the second mobile communications network and requests a PDP session with the node of the packet data network, the PDP session is established using only the interface module of the first mobile communications network.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the Intelligent Network Service is implemented only in the interface module of the first mobile communications network.