CN1223141C - Fee-counting and deducting method for mobile telephone set in network - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a mobile phone online billing and deduction method, which includes the following two parallel billing processes: A) NAS and SCP interact through the RADIUS protocol to realize the user's online qualification authentication and one-time fee during the entire online period Budget and deduction; B) SSP and SCP interact through the CAP protocol to realize user authentication and divide the entire online period into multiple segments, and withhold and deduct the expenses incurred for surfing the Internet according to segments . When process A issues a maximum call duration to the user, the fee on the SCP is still reserved, which provides the possibility for the user to perform other charging operations. Process B is withholding and billing by segment, which plays a role of real-time supervision and avoids overdraft. The billing is based on the RADIUS end billing in process A, and the user's actual expenses are combined with processes A and B to refund any excess and make up for the shortfall.

Description

Mobile Internet Billing and Deduction Method

Technical field:

The invention relates to a mobile phone online billing and deduction method.

Background technique:

With the continuous development of society, the mobility of people's work and life has been continuously strengthened. In this ever-changing environment, in addition to obtaining various information from voice or manual consoles, it is also necessary to enjoy Email (email) notifications, unified messaging, ringing tones, picture downloads, mobile banking, mobile securities, etc. from the Internet. Rich service.

Internet access fees include communication fees (fees charged by network operators because users use the network to access the Internet), content fees, which are charged by content/application providers, and how to operate content billing will not be discussed here . However, because the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) service cannot perform content billing, and the content provided is not rich, the utilization rate is very low. At present, the dial-up Internet service of mobile phones uses the RADIUS (Remote Authentication and Authentication Service for Dial-In Users) protocol, passes the authentication of the access server, and then withholds the entire balance of the user account to issue the maximum allowable online call time until the user account Only when the balance is zero will the user be cut off from the Internet, and the system cannot cut off the Internet in the middle. Because the balance of the user account is fully withheld, the balance on the user account is zero, so as long as the user performs any charging operation, it cannot be performed because the balance of the user account is zero, so an online account can only be used for communication at a time There are no fees and no fees for content, such as free operations such as surfing the Internet, but other fee-based activities cannot be performed. In this way, the wide-ranging needs of users cannot be met, and the services of content providers and service providers cannot be widely used, cannot receive more fees, and the investment is difficult to recover. Therefore, in order to change this situation, it is necessary to change the exclusivity and exclusivity of the use of this account and make the account shareable.

Invention content:

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a mobile phone online billing and deduction method, so that the mobile phone can also use the account number used to surf the Internet to perform other charging activities or operations while surfing the Internet.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes a mobile phone online billing and deduction method, the method comprising:

Step A: The network access server performs user online qualification authentication on the service control point. After the authentication is passed, the service control point retains the balance on the user account, and converts the balance into the maximum allowed online time and sends it to the network access server; And, the service exchange point performs user authentication on the service control point. After the authentication is passed, the service control point sends the segmented duration of the entire online period to the service exchange point, and establishes an access to the Internet through the service exchange point;

Step B: The network access server detects whether the maximum allowable online time has expired, and if so, cuts off the Internet access; and, the service switching point detects whether the segmented time has expired, and if so, the service switching point notifies The service control point deducts the fee according to the duration of the segment. After the fee is deducted, step C is executed;

Step C: The service control point judges whether there is a balance in the user account. If so, continue to connect to the network and send the segment duration to the service switching point again, and then return to step B until the service control point judges that the user account has been obtained. If the online balance is exhausted, the access to the Internet will be cut off.

Wherein, the method further includes:

The service control point uses the balance reserved in the user account to carry out content charging deduction.

Wherein, the step of cutting off the access to the Internet further includes:

The network access server reports the charging end request to the service control point. After receiving the charging end request, the service control point deducts the fee according to the actual duration in the charging package and issues a bill.

Wherein, the step of the service control point issuing the segmentation duration to the service switching point further includes:

The service control point withholds the user balance according to the segment duration;

The step of deducting fees according to the actual duration further includes:

Judging the magnitude relationship between the withholding and the deduction based on the actual duration, and performing refunds for excess fees and compensation for deficiencies according to the magnitude relationship.

Wherein, the step of the service control point delivering the segmentation duration to the service switching point includes:

The service control point sends the charging signal in the customized application part protocol of the mobile network enhanced service to the service switching point, and the parameters in the charging signal include the segment duration.

Wherein, the service control point in step A sends the maximum allowable online duration to the network access server including:

The service control point feeds back an authentication response signal to the network access server, and the parameters in the signal include the maximum allowable online duration.

Wherein, the service exchange point described in step B notifies the service control point to deduct fees according to the segmented duration including:

The service switching point sends the application charging report to the service control point, and the service control point deducts the fee after receiving the report.

Wherein, the network access server described in step A performing user online qualification authentication on the service control point includes:

The network access server sends an authentication request to the nearest access service control point or authorized authentication and billing point, requiring authentication of the user's online qualification, and the service control point or authorized authentication and billing point sends the authentication request to the intelligent network user's home network. After the service control point to which the user belongs passes the user information authentication, the service control point or the authorized authentication and charging point feeds back an authentication response signal to the network access server;

The service exchange point described in step A performing user authentication on the service control point includes:

The mobile switching center or service switching point triggers the user call to the service control point to which the user belongs, and sends the basic information of the user and the called information to the service control point to which the user belongs, and the service control point to which the user belongs performs authentication on the user information, if If the user account is legal and there is enough money in the account for the user to use, then the connection signal and the charging signal are sent to the service switching point.

Wherein, when the user hangs up, the method further includes:

The service exchange point reports an event report message to the service control point, requesting to release the Internet access or call. After receiving the event report message from the service exchange point, the service control point immediately sends a release call message to the service exchange point. After receiving the message, the service exchange point Free to surf or call.

Wherein, before step A, the method further includes:

Call the access code, if the mobile switching center of the end office has the ability to connect to the network access server, then trigger the operation of the customized application part protocol of the mobile network enhanced service on the service control point to which the user belongs from the mobile switching center or service switching point, Otherwise, the end office mobile switching center is connected to the gateway mobile switching center or service switching point, and the gateway mobile switching center or service switching point triggers the protocol operation of the customized application part of the mobile network enhanced service;

The service control point to which the user belongs modifies the access code. This modification enables the access server to distinguish between sending the remote verification and authentication service of the dial-in user to the intelligent network or the original service applicable to the post-paid user according to the modified access code. Authentication and billing authentication center;

The mobile switching center or the gateway mobile switching center connects the route to the access server, and obtains information including user name/caller information from the network access server.

Due to the adoption of the above scheme, in the two parallel billing processes, the charge on the SCP is still reserved when the process A issues a maximum call duration to the user, so that the balance of the account on the SCP will not appear as in the prior art In fact, the fee sent to the NAS from zero is much higher than the demand. Since there is still a fee on the SCP while surfing the Internet, this provides the possibility for the user to perform other charging operations. On the other hand, if other billing operations are performed while surfing the Internet on the mobile phone, it will inevitably lead to the situation that the charges on the SCP will be used up before the maximum allowable Internet access time issued by the NAS is reached. At this time, because process B is segmented For billing, it plays the role of real-time supervision. If the fee is used up in advance due to other charging operations, the user's Internet access can be interrupted immediately to avoid overdraft.

Description of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways:

The present invention will be described in further detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is the general structural diagram that the following figure is the present invention realizes intelligent shared account online, and the function of each equipment in the figure is:

(1) MSC/SSP: responsible for judging which SCP is accessed by the dialed smart user number, and interacting with the SCP for authentication, connection, hang-up and billing.

(2) SCPa: SCPa to which the smart user belongs, providing functions such as user voice service, smart user account authentication and authentication, billing authentication, fee deduction, and bill writing.

(3) SCP/AAA: The nearest SCP or authentication center connected to the NAS is interconnected through the SCP and operates with the SCPa, thereby realizing intelligent user authentication and authentication.

(4) NAS: Network access server, which realizes the function of Internet access and RADIUS protocol client function.

(5) WAPGW: WAP gateway.

Among them, 17201 is an example of an access code in the dial-up Internet service, and "original AAA" refers to an authentication, accounting and authentication center that interacts with the NAS through the RADIUS protocol in the prior art. SCPa, SCP/AAA and original AAA can be set up together.

The present invention utilizes above-mentioned each equipment to carry out the method for billing and deduction of mobile phone Internet access including the following two parallel billing processes: A) NAS and SCP interact through the RADIUS protocol to realize the user's Internet access qualification authentication and one-time access during the entire Internet access period; B) SSP and SCP interact through the CAP protocol to realize user authentication and divide the entire online period into multiple segments, and deduct the expenses incurred by surfing the Internet according to the segments; among them, In process A), when the authentication is passed, the SCP converts the balance in the user account into the maximum allowable online time and sends it to the NAS, while the fee in the user account is still reserved and will not be deducted until the end of the user's Internet access; in process B ), whenever the time allocated for the previous segment has expired, the actual deduction will occur, the cost of this segment will be deducted, and the fee for the next segment will be withheld to obtain the next segment Duration; until the balance on the user account is exhausted, the SCP immediately cuts off the access and releases the Internet access or calls.

The process A) is basically similar to the RADIUS protocol charging process in the prior art, and the process B) is added by the present invention, which can be regarded as the assistance of the process A). In order to ensure the uniformity of billing results, it can be stipulated that the final billing result of online access is based on process A), and the fees deducted in stages in process B) are refunded and supplemented in excess.

Figure 2 is a schematic flow chart of a billing process, which includes the following steps:

(1) The smart user dials up to access the Internet and calls 17201 from the mobile phone. If the mobile switching center (MSC) of the end office has the ability to connect to the NAS, it will be triggered from the MSC/SSP to the SCPa it belongs to, otherwise the mobile switching center (MSC) of the end office Connect to GMSC/SSP, and be triggered by GMSC/SSP to belong to SCPa;

(2) After being triggered on the SCPa, send the basic information of the user and the called information to the SCPa, and the SCPa authenticates and judges the user information;

(3) If the user account is legal and there is enough money on the account for the user to use, then send the connection signal and the charging signal to the SSP, and the charging signal (CAP_AC) in the CAP protocol includes the maximum allowable online time for charging is the duration of the segment, the SCP withholds the user’s smart account amount for the duration of the segment; and SCPa modifies the called party (access code), and then the (G)MSC connects the route to the server NAS. The purpose of modifying the access code is to ensure that: the access server NAS can distinguish between sending RADIUS to the intelligent network or the original AAA system according to the access code (for example, post-paid users are sent to the original AAA system when surfing the Internet), so that the original AAA system will not be affected or modified. The system can provide prepaid users with the ability to share accounts for Internet access and online messaging.

(4) The NAS sends an authentication request to the nearby SCP or AAA, requesting authentication of the user's online qualification, and the SCP/AAA then operates through the SCP interconnection, and sends the authentication request to the service control point (SCPa) to which the intelligent network user belongs , after SCPa authenticates the user information and passes the authentication, the SCP/AAA feeds back the authentication response signal to the NAS, and the parameter contains the maximum allowed online time;

(5) After receiving the authentication response signal from the SCP, the NAS sends an accounting start request to the SCP, and the interactive signaling between the NAS and the SCP is the RADIUS protocol.

(6) After SCPa receives the billing start packet, it does not process the account number, but only forwards the billing packet to WAPGW.

After the above steps, both billing processes have started. The handling methods when various situations occur during the billing process are as follows:

(7) When the SSP detects that the segmented duration issued by the SCP has expired, it will immediately send an application charging report (CAP_ACR) to the SCP to actually deduct fees from the user's smart account; at this time, if the user's smart account still has If the available amount is available, the SCP will send CAP_AC to the SSP again, and the maximum allowable online duration for billing with the parameters is still the segmented duration, and continue to surf the Internet or make calls.

(8) At this time, if it is found that the balance on the smart account has been exhausted, the SCP immediately cuts off the access and releases the access or call. At the same time, the following step (10) needs to be carried out. It can be seen from this step that although the RADIUS parameter has the maximum allowable online time, if the CAP deduction period has expired, it still has the right to disconnect the connection or deduct the fee again, which is to ensure that the user does not exceed the budget The essential.

(9) When the user hangs up, the SSP reports CAP_ERB (EventReportBCSM) to the SCP, requesting to release the Internet access or call. After receiving the ERB from the SSP, the SCP immediately sends RC (ReleaseCall) to the SSP to release the Internet access or call; Step (10) described above.

(10) When the NAS detects that the issued maximum allowable online time has expired or the Internet access ends due to any other reason, the NAS reports the charging end request to the SCP. After receiving the charging end request, the SCP Duration, calculate the user's entire Internet access fee, and deduct fees, issue bills and respond. And forward the billing packet to WAPGW. Billing is based on the billing at the end of RADIUS in process A. For the actual fee of the user, the over refund and the underpayment should be combined in process A and B. For example, 2 yuan is withheld from the user (withholding in process B), while the actual fee is 1.6 yuan (In process A, the fee is billed according to the time reported by the end of billing), and the user is charged 0.4 yuan.

At any time during the period from the beginning of the billing process to the end of the Internet access, if the user needs to perform other charging operations on the Internet, such as downloading paid content, since there is still a balance in the user account in the SCP, the SCP will The user will not be rejected because the balance of the user account is zero. On the contrary, the SCP can make the operation proceed normally by allocating the fee of a segment again. However, the present invention only provides the possibility for charging operations. As for the specific method steps of this type of charging operations, such as the content charging agreement between WAPGW and SCP in FIG. 1, it does not belong to the content of the present invention and is omitted here.

The billing and deduction method designed by the invention enables the mobile intelligent network to share one account and simultaneously perform operations such as surfing the Internet, browsing information, and downloading content without overspending, thereby satisfying the user's content service needs on the one hand, and paying a reasonable fee ; On the other hand, the services provided by the content providers have been more and more widely used, and more fees have been collected, and more capital recovery and profits have been obtained.

Claims (10)

1, a kind of fee-counting and deducting method for mobile telephone set in network is characterized in that, this method comprises:

Steps A: network access server carries out user's qualification authentication of surfing the Net on service control point, and after authentication was passed through, service control point kept the remaining sum on user's account, and this remaining sum conversion is handed down to network access server for the maximum online duration that allows; With, Service Switching Point carries out subscription authentication on service control point, and after authentication was passed through, the segmentation duration of service control point during with whole online was handed down to Service Switching Point, and set up the online path by Service Switching Point;

Step B: network access server detects the maximum that issues and whether then to allow online duration, if then cut off the online path; With, whether then Service Switching Point detects the segmentation duration, if then deduct fees according to the segmentation duration in Service Switching Point informing business control point, and after the end of deducting fees, execution in step C;

Step C: service control point judges whether also have remaining sum on user's account, if, then continue connection network and once more described segmentation duration is handed down to Service Switching Point, return step B then, judge that until service control point obtain on user's account remaining sum uses up, and then cuts off the online path.

2, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this method further comprises:

Service control point utilizes the remaining sum that keeps on described user's account to carry out content charging and deducts fees.

3, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the step of described cut-out online path further comprises:

Network access server reports the charging ending request to give service control point, after service control point is received this charging ending request, deducts fees and call list according to progress row actual time in the bag that charges.

4, method according to claim 3 is characterized in that, described service control point issues the segmentation duration and further comprises for the step of Service Switching Point:

Service control point carries out withholding of user balance according to described segmentation duration;

Describedly further comprise according to the step that actual time, the progress row was deducted fees:

Judge described withhold and described, and carry out returning the overcharge and demand payment of the shortage of expense according to this magnitude relationship according to the magnitude relationship that actual duration carried out between deducting fees.

5, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described service control point issues the segmentation duration and comprises for the step of Service Switching Point:

Service control point sends the mobile network to Service Switching Point and strengthens fee charging signal in the professional customization applying portion agreement, and the parameter in this fee charging signal comprises described segmentation duration.

6, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the described service control point of steps A allows online duration to be handed down to network access server maximum to comprise:

Service control point is to network access server feedback authentication response signal, and the parameter in this signal comprises the described maximum online duration that allows.

7, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, deducts fees according to the segmentation duration and comprise in the informing business of Service Switching Point described in step B control point:

Service Switching Point sends Apply Charging Report to service control point, and service control point carries out described deducting fees after receiving this report.

8, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the described network access server of steps A carries out user's qualification authentication of surfing the Net and comprises on service control point:

Network access server sends authentication request to the service control point or the authorization identifying charging point that insert nearby, requirement authenticates user's online qualification, service control point or authorization identifying charging point are issued authentication request the service control point of intelligent network user ownership again, and the service control point of user attaching passes through user information authentication after service control point or authorization identifying charging point feedback authentication response signal are given network access server;

The described Service Switching Point of steps A carries out subscription authentication and comprises on service control point:

Mobile switching centre or the operation exchange customer call of naming a person for a particular job is triggered to the service control point of user attaching, and send user basic information and called party information service control point to user attaching, the service control point of user attaching carries out authentication to user profile, if user account is legal, and there is enough money to use on the number of the account, then sends continue signal and fee charging signal to Service Switching Point for the user.

9, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, when described user's on-hook, this method further comprises:

Service Switching Point reported event reporting message is given service control point, require to discharge online or calling, service control point receives that issuing call release message immediately after the reporting events message of Service Switching Point gives Service Switching Point, and Service Switching Point is received and discharged online after this message or call out.

10, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that: before steps A, this method further comprises:

Call out access code, if there is the ability that connects network access server in mobile switching centre of end office (EO), then trigger the operation that mobile network on the service control point of user attaching strengthens professional customization applying portion agreement from mobile switching centre or Service Switching Point, otherwise be routed on GMSC (gateway mobile switching center) or the Service Switching Point by mobile switching centre of end office (EO), trigger the mobile network by GMSC (gateway mobile switching center) or Service Switching Point and strengthen professional customization applying portion protocol operation;

The service control point of user attaching is made amendment to access code, this modification makes that access server can be according to amended access code, distinguishes the former authenticating and charging authentication center that dial-in customer's remote validation authentication service is sent into intelligent network or be applicable to the postpaid service user;

Mobile switching centre or GMSC (gateway mobile switching center) are routed to route on the access server, obtain the information that comprises user name/caller information on network access server.