KR101036358B1 - Billing system and its method for message service during international roaming - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a charging system and method for an international roaming message service according to the present invention. When the billing system according to the present invention receives a message from the first mobile terminal of the first mobile communication network through the packet switched network, it determines whether to send the message based on the user fee information of the first mobile terminal and determines the message. A message center for transmitting the message to a second mobile terminal of a second mobile communication network according to a result; And a charging center for providing the user fee information at the request of the message center. Through this, the present invention can provide a message service at a low cost for the operator, expect the activation of the message service, it is possible to improve the user's satisfaction.

Message Service, Data Session, Packet Switched Network, Billing Data, TAP, Flat Rate

Description

Billing system for message service during global roaming and method

The present invention relates to a billing system and a method for a message service during international roaming.

In general, the mobile terminal has gradually expanded its service area to various additional services such as text messaging and data transmission in voice and video calls. In particular, a message service that allows users to easily exchange various information in the form of text, symbols, images, or videos in a situation where voice or video call is difficult is widely used. SMS (Short Message) Service (LMS), Long Message Service (LMS) and Multimedia Message Service (MMS) service.

At this time, voice and video call and SMS message transmission are provided through a circuit switched network or a CS (Circuit Switching) network, and data transmission, LMS and MMS message transmission is provided through a packet switched network or a packet switching (PS) network. In particular, during the international roaming, the transmission of a message through the packet switching network, which has a charging unit of 1 kbyte or the like, sets and releases a data session each time the message is transmitted. (Transfer Account Procedure) is created and the fee for the use of the message service is settled to each mobile operator operating the mobile communication network.In accordance with the agreement between roaming providers, voice and video calls, data transmission, message transmission, etc. You will use the services and will be charged accordingly.

However, since these international roaming services pass through the service areas of various mobile operators, they have to pay the fees to all the mobile operators separately. There is a problem that the settlement cost is expensive compared to. Of course, this problem is also expensive to use the user's message service.

The present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, by applying a flat-rate scheme to the message service through a packet-switched network during international roaming, from the perspective of the operator to provide an international message service at a low cost The present invention provides a billing system and a method for a message service while roaming.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a billing system and a method for an international roaming message service that can be expected to activate the message service by applying a flat-rate scheme to the message service over the international roaming packet switched network.

In addition, the present invention can be used more cheaply by applying a flat rate to the message service through the packet switching network during international roaming, billing system and message system for the international roaming message service to improve the user satisfaction To provide.

To this end, when the billing system for message service during international roaming according to an aspect of the present invention receives a message from the first mobile terminal of the first mobile communication network through a packet switched network, the user fee information of the first mobile terminal A message center for determining whether to transmit the message based on a message and transmitting the message to a second mobile terminal of a second mobile communication network according to the determined result; And a charging center for providing the user fee information according to the request of the message center.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charging method for a message service during international roaming, comprising: receiving a message from a first mobile terminal of a first mobile communication network through a packet switched network; Determining whether to transmit the received message based on user fee information of the first mobile terminal; And transmitting the message to the second mobile terminal of the second mobile communication network according to the determined result.

Hereinafter, a billing system for a message service during international roaming and a method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. That is, the present invention is to apply the flat-rate scheme to the message service through the packet switching network during international roaming to subtract the maximum number of messages that can be transmitted according to the transmission of the message. In an embodiment to be described later, the above-mentioned 'first mobile communication network' may correspond to a 'visited network', and the above-mentioned 'second mobile communication network' may correspond to a 'home network'. have.

1 is a first exemplary view showing the configuration of a schematic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the present invention includes a first mobile terminal 111, a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 112, and a second mobile communication network 120 of the first mobile communication network 110. The Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) 121, the message center 122, the billing center 123, the subscriber DB 124 and the second mobile terminal 125 may be configured.

In this case, the first and second mobile terminals 111 and 125 are all devices capable of providing a message service through a mobile communication network, and may include a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook, and the like.

The first mobile terminal 111 in the first mobile communication network 110 that is the visitor network includes at least one of data such as text, voice, image, video, etc. using a packet switched network. You can send a message. As such, the first mobile terminal 111 is different from an application for creating an existing SMS message, LMS message, MMS message, or e-mail to transmit a message using a packet switched network. It has a separate roaming-only application that allows you to create and send messages.

The reason for having a roaming-only application is to transmit all SMS messages through the packet-switched network because the existing SMS messages are transmitted through the circuit-switched network and only LMS messages or MMS messages are transmitted through the packet-switched network. to be.

In addition, the first mobile terminal 111 does not repeatedly set and release a data session with the message center every time an LMS message or an MMS message is transmitted through a packet switched network, and maintains a preset session. At least one message can be transmitted through this to maintain the data session for a time. This session duration can be variably set by the mobile carrier.

That is, each time the data session is set up and released repeatedly, the settlement data generated by SGSN, that is, the number of occurrences of Transfer Account Procedure (TAP) is reduced by that much, which reduces the cost that the mobile network operator should pay to the mobile network operator of the visitor network. This is to save money. These cost savings also allow users to expect lower message rates.

The message created by the first mobile terminal 111 may be transmitted to the GGSN 121 of the second mobile communication network, which is the home network, via the SGSN 112 of the packet switched network, that is, the first mobile communication network. The GGSN 121 may then receive the message and provide it to the message center 122.

When the message center 122 receives the message from the GGSN 121, the message center 122 determines whether to transmit the message based on the user fee information of the first mobile terminal 111, and transmits the message according to the result of the determination. And may be provided to each of the at least one second mobile terminal 125 within the 120.

The billing center 123 may store and manage pre-registered user fee information in a separate subscriber DB 124 according to the subscription of a flat rate plan for determining whether to transmit a message. That is, the user fee information may be stored in the message center. The user fee information can be updated when the message is sent to the message and the message is transmitted accordingly. Here, the user fee information may include whether to subscribe to a flat rate plan for a message service during international roaming, the maximum number of messages that can be transmitted, and the like.

For example, the billing center 123 checks the number of messages transmitted according to the message transmission of the first mobile terminal, and subtracts the maximum number of messages that can be transmitted among the pre-stored user rates information according to the result of the checking, thereby reducing user fee information. Can be updated. Therefore, if the maximum number of messages that can be transmitted is zero, the message service becomes impossible.

Meanwhile, although the present invention has been described assuming that the first mobile communication network is a visitor network and the second mobile communication network is a home network, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second mobile communication network is the home network. You can also assume a network of visitors, each with the same process.

2 is a first exemplary diagram illustrating a charging method for a message service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first mobile terminal in the first mobile communication network drives a separate roaming-only application for composing a message to be transmitted through a packet switched network to create a message based on the second roaming application, and to generate a second mobile communication. By establishing a data session with a message center in the network, a message created through the established data session may be transmitted through the packet switched network (S210). The header of the message may further include a separate identifier for indicating that the message is to be transmitted through the packet switched network, wherein the identifier may include at least one of numbers, symbols, and letters.

That is, the first mobile terminal may transmit the created message to the GGSN of the second mobile communication network, which is the home network, via a packet switching network, that is, the SGSN in the first mobile communication network, through a GPRS Roaming eXchange (GRX) network. In this case, the SGSN is a data network switch, and can monitor the location of the mobile terminal and perform security technology and access control functions. The SGSN is a GGSN of another mobile communication network, that is, a second mobile communication network. Can be provided to The GGSN is an Internet gateway switch, and can support packet data services by interworking with the SGSN of the first mobile communication network.

When the GGSN of the second mobile communication network receives the message, the GGSN may transmit the message to the message center. That is, the GGSN checks whether the received message includes a separate identifier, and if it includes the identifier, the message is sent. It may transmit to the message center (S211).

If the message center receives the message, the message center may request the billing center for user fee information of the first mobile terminal that has transmitted the received message (S212). Then, the billing center may retrieve the user fee information from the subscriber DB (S213) and provide the searched user fee information to the message center (S214).

The message center determines whether or not the message can be transmitted based on the received user fee information based on the received user fee information (S215), and if the message can be transmitted as a result of the determination, the message center transmits the message to each of the at least one second mobile terminal. Can be transmitted (S216).

The message center may release the data session when the transmission of the message is completed. When such a data session is released, the message center may, for example, be a telephone number of the first mobile terminal, a telephone number of the second mobile terminal, or a transmission according to the transmission of the message. The charging data including the number of messages may be generated (S217) and the generated charging data may be transmitted to the charging center (S218).

In this case, the message center determines whether the message can be transmitted each time a message transmission request is made, but may generate the charging data when the data session is released. This is because the mobile terminal can maintain the data session for a preset session duration.

After all, the billing center receives the billing data and updates the user billing information stored in the subscriber DB based on the billing data provided. For example, if the number of messages sent is one, the maximum number of transportable messages included in the billing information is 100. One case is subtracted from 99 cases (S219), and the result of the processing can be notified to the message center (S220).

Then, when the message center is notified of the processing result, the message center may notify the first mobile terminal of the transmission result indicating that the transmission of the message is completed (S221).

As described above, the present invention enables the provision of a message service at a low cost from an operator's point of view by applying a flat rate scheme to a message service through a packet switching network during international roaming, thereby enabling the activation of the message service.

In addition, the present invention can improve the user's satisfaction because it can be used more cheaply by applying a flat rate plan to the message service through the packet switching network during international roaming.

3 is a second exemplary diagram illustrating a charging method for a message service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the charging method for the message service according to the present invention is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 2, and the case in which the transmission of the message is impossible will be described.

That is, when a message is received, the message center determines whether the message can be transmitted based on user fee information (S316), and as a result of the determination, the message cannot be transmitted. If the number is 0, a guide message for notifying transmission of the message is no longer possible (S317) and the generated guide message can be transmitted to the first mobile terminal (S318).

Such a guide message may include not only guide text but also URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information of a corresponding site for payment of a flat rate plan.

4 is an exemplary view showing a detailed configuration of the message center 122 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the message center 122 according to the present invention includes a first interface 410, a second interface 420, a determination unit 430, a generation unit 440, a processing unit 450, and a third unit. Interface 460, and the like.

The determination unit 430 retrieves user fee information of the first mobile terminal stored in the subscriber DB by interworking with the subscriber DB through the second interface 420 according to the reception of the message, and transmits the message based on the retrieved user fee information. It is possible to determine the possibility.

The processor 450 may receive a message from the first mobile terminal of the first mobile communication network through the packet switched network in cooperation with the GGSN through the first interface 410, and the processor may transmit the message to the third interface 460. It can be transmitted to the second mobile terminal of the second mobile communication network through.

In particular, when it is determined that the transmission of the message is possible, the processor 450 may transmit the message to the at least one second mobile terminal.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the transmission of the message is impossible, the generation unit 440 generates a notification message for notifying that the transmission of the message is not possible, and thus the notification message generated is the first interface 410. It may be transmitted to the first mobile terminal through.

Also, the generation unit 440 charges the billing data generated by generating billing data including, for example, a phone number of the first mobile terminal, a phone number of the second mobile terminal, the number of messages transmitted, and the like according to the transmission of the message. A notification message for notifying the transmission result that the transmission of the message is completed may be transmitted to the center or the message may be generated to notify the first mobile terminal in the first mobile communication network.

The billing system and the method for the message service during international roaming according to the present invention can be modified and applied in various forms within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention and are not limited to the above embodiments. In addition, the embodiments and drawings are merely for the purpose of describing the contents of the invention in detail, not intended to limit the scope of the technical idea of the invention, the present invention described above is common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs As those skilled in the art can have various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, it is not limited to the above embodiments and the accompanying drawings, of course, and not only the claims to be described below but also claims Judgment should be made including scope and equivalence.

1 is a first exemplary view showing the configuration of a schematic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a first exemplary diagram illustrating a charging method for a message service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a second exemplary view showing a charging method for a message service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an exemplary view showing a detailed configuration of the message center 122 shown in FIG.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

110: first mobile communication network

111: a first mobile terminal

112: SGSN

120: second mobile communication network

121: GGSN

122: message center

123: charging center

123: Subscriber DB

124: second mobile terminal

410: first interface

420: second interface

430: decision

440: generation unit

450: processing unit

460: third interface

Claims (10)

When receiving a message from the first mobile terminal of the first mobile communication network through the packet switching network, it is determined whether to send the message based on the user fee information of the first mobile terminal and the message is determined according to the result of the determination. A message center for transmitting to a second mobile terminal of a two mobile communication networks; And A charging center for providing the user fee information at the request of the message center, And the first mobile terminal maintains a data session for a preset session duration. According to claim 1, The message center, A processing unit for receiving a message from a first mobile terminal of the first mobile communication network through a packet switching network and transmitting the message to a second mobile terminal of a second mobile communication network; A decision unit to determine whether to transmit the message based on user fee information of the first mobile terminal; And And a generation unit configured to transmit the message according to the determined result and to generate charging data according to the transmission result. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The user fee information, Billing system for international roaming message service, characterized in that it includes whether to subscribe to the flat rate plan for the message service and the maximum number of transportable messages, wherein the maximum number of transportable messages is updated according to the transmission of the message. . The method according to claim 1 or 2, Wherein the first mobile communication network is a visitor network during international roaming, the second mobile communication network is a home network, the first mobile communication network is the home network, and the second mobile communication network is the visitor network. Billing system for on-demand message service. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Subscriber DB (Database) that stores and manages user fee information set for each mobile terminal The billing center further includes the user fee information according to the request of the message center, and based on the billing data generated by transmitting the received message to the second mobile terminal of the second mobile communication network. Billing system for the international roaming message service, characterized in that for updating the user fee information. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The first mobile terminal, Billing system for the international roaming message service, characterized in that for creating a message through an application provided with the application interworking with the packet-switched network, including the predetermined identifier in the header of the message to be transmitted. Receiving a message via a packet switched network from a first mobile terminal of a first mobile communication network; Determining whether to transmit the received message based on user fee information of the first mobile terminal; And Transmitting the message to a second mobile terminal of a second mobile communication network according to the determined result; And the first mobile terminal maintains a data session for a preset session duration. 8. The method of claim 7, Determining whether or not to send the message, Check whether the fixed rate plan is subscribed based on the user fee information of the first mobile terminal; And determining whether to transmit the message according to the maximum number of transmittable messages for the flat rate plan. The method according to claim 7 or 8, Updating the user fee information as the message is transmitted to a second mobile terminal of a second mobile communication network; The charging method for an international roaming message service, further comprising: updating by subtracting the maximum number of transmittable messages included in the user fee information. The method according to claim 7 or 8, The message is For international roaming message service, characterized in that any one of a short message service (SMS) message, a long message service (LMS) message, a multimedia message service (MMS) message, e-mail that can be transmitted through the packet-switched network Charging method.

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