Registers – Records – Conductive
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-12-25
Pitts, Harold I. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
Conductive
C379S144020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a billing method in a telecommunications system. The invention relates more specifically, but not exclusively, to a billing method which can be carried out with an identification card, as well as to an identification card.
In telecommunications networks, for example in telecommunications networks based on the GSM standard, the amount charged for a call depends upon various parameters, in particular the time of day, and, among other things, the geographic location of the calling and the called subscriber. These parameters, in particular the duration of the call, are established in the infrastructure of the network, for example in a central control office. The amount to be charged is then determined on the basis of these parameters, and is debited against an account of the subscriber at the network operator or at a financial institution. This billing method is extremely time-consuming and expensive for the network operator, and requires a complex billing system and many manual or semi-automatic operations.
In addition to this post-paid billing method, prepaid systems are also known. Prepaid systems usually use a subscriber-specific identification card, including an account which can be loaded with a monetary amount. The amounts billed for calls of the subscriber are then debited from this account after each call. Various methods are known by which money can be loaded again onto the account. The parameters needed to determine the amounts billed are known by the term CAI (Charge Advice Information), and are established in a server administered by the network operator, and are transmitted to the identification card of the subscriber with signalling messages. Processing means in the card then indicate the amount billed on the display of the mobile device in the local currency, and debit this amount from the stored monetary amount.
Described in the patent application WO 95/28062 are a method and a SIM card for carrying out a prepaid system. According to the disclosed teaching of WO 95/28062, so-called charge advice information (“e”-parameters) according to the GSM standard are transmitted to a respective mobile device, and are further transmitted to the SIM card when a call is established by the mobile device, which card checks whether the stored prepaid amount is sufficient for the incoming or outgoing call. If the amount is sufficient, the procedures for establishing the call are concluded, according to WO 95/28062, and a timer of the SIM card (or of the mobile device) is started to measure the duration of the call. According to WO 95/28062, the call costs are determined from the measured duration of the call as well as based on tariff information, which is stored in the SIM card or which is transmitted to the mobile device via the network by means of further charge advice information, and the costs are deducted from the prepaid amount. According to WO 95/28062, special charge advice information can be transmitted periodically to the mobile device over the network while the call is established, which charge advice information is acknowledged by the SIM card if the prepaid amount still suffices to continue the call.
Prepaid billing methods are inexpensive for the network operator, who does not have to write any invoice. He still has to carry out the evaluation of the amounts to be charged, however. Moreover this method can be applied in the GSM sphere only with devices and in geographic locations where the Advice of Charge (AOC) function, defined in standard ETSI ETS300 510 (corresponding to the technical specification GSM 02.24), can be applied. Therefore prepaid cards usually allow only very limited roaming possibilities.
Prepaid methods are also known in connection with intelligent network (IN) solutions. These methods are expensive to use, however, and can only be applied in the network of the respective operator.
Described in the patent application WO 96/11545 is a smart card comprising a clock and a calendar, both of which are connected to a microprocessor which, for its part, is connected to a memory. According to the teaching disclosed in WO 96/11545, this smart card is inserted in a subscriber unit, and a subscriber identity as well as a period of validity, during which the subscriber unit is to use the subscriber identity and the smart card can no longer be used, are communicated to the subscriber unit.
Described in the patent application EP 0 724 371 A is a method by means of which a wireless communication terminal can select the preferred network from among at least two wireless networks, the least expensive network typically being selected based on network tariff information which is stored in a centralized server environment.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose an improved billing method, which does not have the drawbacks of the known methods, in particular a billing method simplified for the network operator.
These objects are attained with the method described in the independent claim, various variants being described in the dependent claims.
Moreover these objects are attained with an identification card as described in the independent identification card claim and with a system as described in the independent system claim.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The billing method according to the invention is carried out with an identification card for subscribers in a telecommunications network, which can be inserted in a removable way in a terminal device, and which contains at least one tariff table, with which the amounts to be charged can be determined on the basis of call duration, as well as an integrated time-measuring device, with which the duration of the call can be established, in addition to conventional data processing means enabling the storing of data including at least identification data, (IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), MSISDN (Mobile Station Identity Number) or IDUI (International Debit User Identification)), of the user in the telecommunications network.
In this way all the parameters necessary for determination of the amount billed can be established directly on the card, so that billing can take place directly at the source, at the subscriber.
The determined amount can then either be debited directly from a prepaid account on the identification card and/or be packed in a billing record and be transmitted to a debiting server in the telecommunications network.
The patent document EP 0 656 733 describes a billing system for mobile devices, in which calling parameters necessary to determine the amount billed are stored in the memory of the mobile device. This amount can then be shown, for information, on the display of the mobile device. Not described in this document, however, is how the determined amount can be automatically debited. Moreover the duration and time of the call are determined with the aid of the internal clock of the mobile device. The network operator has no influence upon the accuracy of the clock in mobile devices offered by other producers. Furthermore in most mobile devices this clock can be set by the subscriber. The patent document FR 2680261 describes a telephone chipcard, which contains a prepaid account as well as tariff tables. The amounts billed for calls are charged to a prepaid account on the basis of call length and stored tariffs. The time and the duration of calls are not established, however, using a clock integrated into the card, but rather in an external device.
A SIM card with a continuous measuring device is already known from WO96/11545. This card can only be used for an amount of time loaded in a timer in the card. This document does not describe, however, how the amounts to be billed can be automatically debited to the subscriber.
EP 0 770 953 describes another chipcard with an integrated clock, which cannot be used, however, for signing electronic documents, and cannot be used for billing of calls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5748720 (1998-05-01), Loder
patent: 0 556 597 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 0 656 733 (
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Pitts Harold I.
Swisscom AG
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