Charging apparatus, method, system, and non-transitory medium

• US 10,560,582 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakano, Shintaro, Ishii, Satoru, Hasegawa, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cai, Wayne H
• Application Number:
  US15/559,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20180249015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• 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 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/771 per terminal or location, e.g. mobile device with multiple directory numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

User identification information for identifying a user of a first terminal connecting to a communication network of a virtual communication operator via a communication network of a first communication operator is specified, and, based on the user identification information, charging for communication of the first terminal and charging for a service that the virtual communication operator is enabled to provide to the user identified by the user identification information are managed.

Claims

1. A charging management apparatus connected to a mobile virtual communication network of a mobile virtual communication operator, wherein the mobile virtual communication network is provided in a data center operated by the mobile virtual communication operator, the charging management apparatus comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

specify first user identification information for identifying a user of a first terminal connecting to the mobile virtual communication network via a first mobile communication network of a first mobile network operator;

specify second user identification information for identifying a user of a second terminal connecting to the mobile virtual communication network via a second mobile communication network of a second mobile network operator; and

based on the specified first user identification information and the specified second user identification information, unify charging for communication of the first terminal and the second terminal to an account for a service of the mobile virtual communication operator.

2. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user identification information is common to user identification information commonly used in utilization of one or a plurality of kinds of services that the mobile virtual communication operator is enabled to provide,

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, based on terminal identification information of each terminal and the user identification information specified for the each terminal, manage charging for communication of the each terminal, in cooperation with charging for use of the one or the plurality of kinds of services by the each terminal.

3. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a first storage including at least one of terminal identification information of each terminal and at least one of a packet transfer amount, a packet charge, and a call time of a terminal corresponding to the terminal identification information, as information on communication of each terminal;

a second storage including terminal identification information of a terminal owned by the user and at least one of a communication plan or limitation, and account information, as information on the user; and

a third storage that manages the user identification information and the terminal identification information in association with each other.

4. The charging management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third storage stores a charging method including at least one of prepayment or payment by a credit card, in correspondence with the user identification information.

5. The charging management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to transmit to the terminal a notification when a prepaid balance becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value or runs out.

6. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile virtual communication network of the mobile virtual communication operator includes a virtualized network.

7. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, when the user identification information of the first terminal and the user identification information of the second terminal are the same, as a result of specifying the user identification information, sum a charge for communication of the first terminal and a charge for communication of the second terminal in association with the same user identification information to perform a unified management thereof.

8. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charging management apparatus connects to the mobile virtual communication network of the mobile virtual communication operator that provides a communication service using a first communication facility of the first mobile communication network and a second communication facility of the second mobile communication network.

9. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user identification information includes account information for a service provided by the mobile virtual communication operator.

10. The charging management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the user identification information includes a user account which is accessible by a plurality of user terminals.

11. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user identification information includes an e-mail address of the user.

12. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service includes an application requiring communication via the mobile virtual communication network of the mobile virtual communication operator.

13. The charging management apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the application includes a specified application which is free of charge.

14. The charging management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication network is connected to the mobile virtual communication network, and

wherein the second mobile communication network is connected to the mobile virtual communication network.

15. A communication system comprising:

the charging management apparatus as defined in claim 1; and

a communication network of a mobile virtual communication operator that provides a communication service by using a first communication facility of the first mobile communication network and a second communication facility of the second mobile communication network.

16. A charging management method comprising:

specifying first user identification information for identifying a user of a first terminal connecting to a mobile virtual communication network via a first mobile communication network of a first mobile network operator, wherein the mobile virtual communication network is provided in a data center operated by a mobile virtual communication operator;

specifying second user identification information for identifying a user of a second terminal connecting to the mobile virtual communication network via a second mobile communication network of a second mobile network operator; and

based on the specified first user identification information and the specified second user identification information, unifying charging for communication of the first terminal and the second terminal to an account for a service of the mobile virtual communication operator.

17. The charging management method according to claim 16, wherein the user identification information is common to user identification information commonly used in utilization of one or a plurality of kinds of services that the mobile virtual communication operator is enabled to provide, the method comprising:

based on terminal identification information of each terminal and the user identification information specified for the each terminal,

managing charging for communication of the each terminal, in cooperation with charging for use of the one or the plurality of kinds of services by the each terminal.

18. The charging management method according to claim 16, further comprising, as information on communication of each terminal, a first storage storing at least one of a terminal identification information of each terminal and at least one of a packet transfer amount, a packet charge, and a call time of a terminal corresponding to the terminal identification information;

as information on the user, a second storage storing terminal identification information of a terminal owned by the user and at least one of a communication plan or limitation, and account information, as information on the user; and

a third storage storing the user identification information and the terminal identification information in association with each other.

19. The charging management method according to claim 18, wherein the third storage stores a charging method including at least one of prepayment or payment by a credit card corresponding to the user identification information.

20. The charging management method according to claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting to the terminal a notification to as such, when a prepaid balance becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value or runs out.

21. The charging management method according to claim 16, further comprising:

when the user identification information of the first terminal and the user identification information of the second terminal are the same, as a result of specifying the user identification information,

summing a charge for communication of the first terminal and a charge for communication of the second terminal in association with the same user identification information to perform a unified management thereof.

22. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing therein a program causing a computer constituting a charge management apparatus connected to a mobile virtual communication network of a mobile virtual communication operator, wherein the mobile virtual communication network is provided in a data center operated by the mobile virtual communication operator, to execute processing comprising:

specifying first user identification information for identifying a user of a first terminal connecting to the mobile virtual communication network via a first mobile communication network of a first mobile network operator;

specifying second user identification information for identifying a user of a second terminal connecting to the mobile virtual communication network via a second mobile communication network of a second mobile network operator; and

based on the specified first user identification information and the specified second user identification information, unifying charging for communication of the first terminal and the second terminal to an account for a service of the mobile virtual communication operator.