Differentiated network indication

• US 8,768,297 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari, Nylander, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLIVER, GERALD L
• Application Number:
  US12/296,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,002 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/409, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/424, 455/425, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/440, 455/443, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/552.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 705/34, 705/40, 705/14.46, 705/14.64, 705/14.53, 705/14.54, 705/14.55, 705/14.56, 705/14.57, 705/14.58, 705/909, 705/77, 705/52, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.23, 379/114.26, 379/114.27, 379/114.28, 379/115.01, 379/127.01, 379/127.05, 379/127.06, 379/100.04, 379/114.01, 726 4- 7
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• 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 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• 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 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8137 : Message, e.g. alphanumeric text, SMS, MMS, EMS or www-based messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 : Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8154 : Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A system and method in a cellular telecommunication network for indicating tariff-related information to an end user having the ability to access network areas with different charging tariffs. In one embodiment, a Charging Indication Data Base (CIDB) in the access network stores charging indications for different combinations of end users and cell identities, and a Rate Indication Data Base (RIDB) stores tariff information for the core network. When the end user accesses the cellular network through an identified cell, a radio network controller (RNC) retrieves a charging indication from the CIDB and sends it to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC). The MSC uses the charging indication to retrieve tariff-related information from the RIDB and sends it to the end user. The CIDB and RIDB may also be co-located in the core network.

Claims

1. A method in a cellular telecommunication system for indicating a charging rate to a mobile end user located in both a micro cell and an overlying macro cell of an access network, wherein the micro cell and the macro cell have different charging rates, said telecommunication system including a core network connected to the access network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving in the access network, an access request from the mobile end user via the micro cell or the macro cell, the access request including an identity of the mobile end user and an identifier of the micro cell or macro cell through which the mobile end user sent the access request;

selecting in the access network, a charging indication based on the identifier of the micro cell or macro cell and the identity of the mobile end user received in the access request;

sending the selected charging indication from the access network to the core network;

based on the selected charging indication, selecting in the core network, a charging rate to be sent to the mobile end user; and

sending the selected charging rate to the mobile end user prior to the mobile end user incurring charges for network services provided at the selected charging rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a charging indication in the access network includes an access network controller retrieving the charging indication from a Charging Indication Data Base (CIDB) in the access network based on a predefined stored association between the identifier of the micro cell or macro cell, the mobile end user identity, and the charging indication.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in the mobile end user'"'"'s equipment to display location-related information and the selected charging rate to the mobile end user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the access request in the access network includes receiving the access request in the access network during a registration procedure, wherein as part of the registration procedure, the access network receives information identifying an access point being utilized.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein if the access point changes while the mobile end user is registered with the access network, the method includes providing a new access point identity to the access network by the mobile end user.

6. An arrangement in a cellular telecommunication system for indicating a charging rate to a mobile end user located in both a micro cell and an overlying macro cell of an access network, wherein the micro cell and the macro cell have different charging rates, said telecommunication system including a core network connected to the access network, said arrangement comprising:

an access network node configured to;

receive an access request from the mobile end user via the micro cell or the macro cell, the access request including an identity of the mobile end user and an identifier of the micro cell or macro cell through which the mobile end user sent the access request;

select a charging indication based on the identifier of the micro cell or macro cell and the identity of the mobile end user received in the access request; and

_;

send the selected charging indication to the core network; and

a core network node configured to;

receive the selected charging indication from the access network node;

select a charging rate based on the selected charging indication; and

send the selected charging rate to the mobile end user prior to the mobile end user incurring charges for network services provided at the selected charging rate.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the access network node is an access network controller configured to retrieve the charging information from a Charging Indication Data Base (CIDB) in the access network, wherein the CIDB stores associations between access information and charging indications.

8. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the access network node is configured to receive the access request during a registration procedure, wherein as part of the registration procedure, the access network node receives information identifying an access point being utilized.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the access network node is configured to obtain a new access point identity if the access point changes while the mobile end user is registered with the access network.

10. A system in a cellular telecommunication network for indicating a charging rate to a mobile end user located in both a micro cell and an overlying macro cell having different charging rates, said system comprising:

a core network; and

an access network for providing the mobile end user with access to the core network through different cells, said access network comprising an access network node configured to;

receive an access request from the mobile end user via the micro cell or the macro cell, the access request including an identity of the mobile end user and an identifier of the micro cell or macro cell through which the mobile end user sent the access request;

select a charging indication based on the identifier of the micro cell or macro cell and the identity of the mobile end user received in the access request; and

send the selected charging indication to the core network; and

wherein the core network comprises a core network node configured to;

receive the selected charging indication from the access network node;

select a charging rate based on the selected charging indication; and

send the selected charging rate to the mobile end user prior to the mobile end user incurring charges for network services provided at the selected charging rate.

11. A computer program loaded on a non-transitory memory coupled to a processor of an access network controller in a cellular communications system having an access network and a core network, the computer program comprising software code portions for performing the following steps when the computer program is run on the processor of the access network controller:

receiving by the access network controller, an access request from a mobile end user via a micro cell or an overlying macro cell, wherein the micro cell and the macro cell have different charging rates, and the access request includes an identity of the mobile end user and an identifier of the micro cell or macro cell through which the mobile end user sent the access request;

selecting by the access network controller, a charging indication based on the identifier of the micro cell or macro cell and the identity of the mobile end user received in the access request;

sending the selected charging indication to the core network;

obtaining from the core network, a charging rate associated with the charging indication; and

sending the associated charging rate to the mobile end user prior to the mobile end user incurring charges for network services provided at the selected charging rate.