FI106343B - Procedure and device for charging in a communication network - Google Patents

Description

, 106343

METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CHARGE IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Field of the Invention 5

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for implementing charging in a telecommunications network. In particular, though not necessarily, the invention relates to the provision of charging information to a telecommunications network operator from a data network to which a subscriber of a telecommunications network operator has the option of contacting.

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Background of the Invention

A traditional way for a home user of a Personal Computer (PC) to connect to the Internet is to make a call to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 15 through the user's own telephone operator with a modem backup. The user access point for the ISP is called the Network Access Server (NAS). The NAS assigns the user PC an Internet Protocol (IP) address during the # .t connection and also acts as a protocol converter, converting the telephone network * * * · ·. 2 0 for circuit-switched data transfer for IP packet-switched transfer and vice versa.

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A typical ISP may be equipped with a plurality of NASs spread over the geographical area in which the ISP operates.

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• m '· For the purpose of collecting billing information and securing user access rights, the ISP may have a small number of so-called "RADIUS Servers", which are also distributed within its coverage area. . A single RADIUS server can serve a few dozen NASs. Communication between RADIUS Servers and NAS is conducted using the RADIUS Certified Protocol (RADIUS stands for Remote Authentication 30 Dial-In User Service) and is defined in IETF RFC 2138/2139. The user "·. '· Who is a subscriber to the ISP may thus be charged for Internet access based on the information collected by the RADIUS server (s).

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The Internet access system described above requires the user to have an agreement with the ISP such that the ISP has the information needed to charge, such as the user's name, address, telephone number, etc. This obviously limits the number of different ISPs available to the user.

Summary of the Invention

The object of the invention is to overcome, or at least mitigate, the disadvantages of known charging systems 10 for data network access. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a combination of telephone and data network charges so that a single bill for both services can be provided to the user.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of implementing charging 15 in a communication network wherein the terminal is connected to a data network through a communication network and a network access server, and wherein a protocol converter exists between the communication network and the network access server. via a telecommunication link, the method comprising: transmitting user information between said converter and a network access server over said telecommunication link using a .... J circuit switched protocol; transmitting debit data from the data network to said converter using a packet switched protocol; and 25 in response to receiving said charging data in said converter, transmitting debug messages from the converter to the telecommunication network billing system, based on which messages the telecommunication network operator may charge the user.

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Embodiments of the invention provide relatively simple means by which the ISP's charging information can be "repatriated" by the user.

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: / ·! the home communications network. Therefore, it is no longer necessary that the user is a direct subscriber to a single ISP, but only that the home telecommunication network has 106343 3 proper re-billing agreements with the ISP. Because it is possible to include ISP charges in a bill generated by a telecommunications network, it is possible to charge relatively small charges for ISP services.

Preferably, said data network comprises the Internet, and said converter between the communication network and the network access server comprises, in addition to said communication link, an Internet link, wherein said charging data is transmitted to said converter using the Internet protocol. This enables the said debit data to be sent to the converter using the Internet protocol.

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More preferably, said data network comprises a web server configured to store information accessed by the user through a telecommunications network and the Internet. The data network comprises one or more charging servers, arranged to log user communications to the web servers. Communication between the web servers and the debit servers is carried out using a certified protocol, eg RADIUS. Either the web servers, or the charging servers, may be the source of said charging data sent to said converter.

. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said converter converts "V 20" signaling system 7 (SS7) and T / E protocols according to the Integrated Send Digital Digital Network (ISDN) to be transmitted over a network connection. said converter converts said charging data received from the data network as an IP into payload messages (CRGs) according to the SS7 protocol.

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• · »: Alternatively, the data network may be a Local Area Network (LAN) *: *" or a Wide Area Network (WAN).

In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus is provided for charging in a communication network wherein the user terminal is connected to a data network through a communication network and a network access server, the apparatus comprising: 4 106343 user data via said communication link using a circuit switched protocol; and 5, charging data generation means for connection to the data network and configured to send the charging data to said converter using a packet switched protocol, the protocol converter further being tracked in response to receiving said charging data at said converter to send charging messages to the billing system 10

Preferably, said protocol converter provides T.1 / E.1 / SS7-PRI

between the communication converter of the protocol converter and said communication link, and between the communication network of the IP-15 SS7 protocol converter and an IP link connecting the converter to the data network. More preferably, the protocol converter is a physically separate unit that is connected for use between a communications network exchange and said communications and IP links.

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'* V 20 Brief Description of Drawings • Il * · ·

For a better understanding of the invention and to illustrate how it can be: V: implemented, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 schematically illustrates a communication system which is an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating the system of Fig. 1.

m 9 9 ~ '· *' * Detailed Description of Embodiments 30 In the diagrammatic figure of Figure 1, the user-owned PC 1 is connected via modem PC 1 to a landline telephone line 2 belonging to a public telephone network.

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The cable 2 is connected to a network exchange 3 and carries signals according to the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) protocol. This protocol provides the user with two communication channels (B channel) and one signaling channel (D channel).

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The exchange 3 is connected to other telephone exchanges, including exchanges belonging to the same network and to other networks. To reach the final destination, the call from the user PC 1 may be routed through multiple exchanges including the local exchange 3. Calls between the local exchange 3 are routed over 64 10 kbit / s channels using the E. 1 protocol (Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)). ) based protocol). Each channel is further subdivided into frames having 31 segments and 1 segment per frame can be assigned to a single call of the user PC. As an alternative to the European E. 1 protocol, the American T. 1 protocol may be used.

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The call between the local exchange and another exchange 4 is established using

Signaling system as 7 darkened signaling protocols (indicated by reference numeral 5 in Figure 1). This protocol is defined in ITU Q.761. Q.764 and is carried by a channel formed by 1 segment per TDMA frame.

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As already explained above, for a public dial-up subscriber to access the Internet, a call must first be established between the subscriber PC 1 and the Internet access server of the Internet service provider. Figure 1 designates such a network access server with reference numeral 6 and the Internet with reference numeral 7. 25 Accessing the network access server 6 requires calling • · V from the user PC 1 to the telephone access network assignment server (B number). . The call is routed through local exchange 3 *: · “network access server 6 to nearest exchange 4 using SS7 signaling protocol as described above. The call is then routed through the converter unit 9 ·; · 30 8 to a telephone line 9 connected to the network access server 6 where • »* #: / ·; as part of the call set-up procedure, access is granted on the basis of 106343 6 subscriber numbers (A numbers) transferred to PC 1. Alternatively, access can be granted based on the user name and password provided by the subscriber.

To provide sufficient capacity to handle a plurality of simultaneous Internet access requests, telephone line 9 carries ISDN protocol signals according to a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) with 30 B traffic channels and one D signaling channel. The converter unit 8 thus functions as an E.1 / SS7 to PRI protocol converter and vice versa.

10 Figure 1 shows two web servers 10 storing web pages and other information available to the user via Internet 7. It should be noted that a large number of network access servers and web servers are separately connected to the Internet 7.

In addition to controlling the network access server 6, and possibly a plurality of web servers 10, the ISP also controls the RADIUS server 11. The RADIUS server 11 is so named because it communicates with the web servers 10 using a secure communication protocol known as RADIUS (though. therefore, any other suitable Authentication-Authorization-Accounting (AAA) protocol may be used). RADIUS Server 11 • · • »1 acts as a billing coordinator for network access server 6 and group ·; ··· web servers 10. In particular, the RADIUS server 11 receives the caller identification information from the network access server 6 (in particular the access port ID of the subscriber ί #! J to the network access server and possibly the subscriber A-25 number) along with the call start and end times. RADIUS Server 11: · also receives charging information from web servers 10 related to certain services that web servers 10 provide to the user. These services may include premium rate services, such as up-to-date sports and economic information web sites, or access to web sites located abroad Ϊ '30.

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In order to bill the user based on the information collected by the RADIUS server 11, the RADIUS server 11 sends the charging data to the converter unit 8 via the Internet link 12. The converter unit 8 is assigned an IP address for this purpose and the link 12 uses a known IP protocol. The IP address is transmitted to the RADIUS server 5 by the network access server 6 during the connection step. The protocol stack for this link comprises above RADIUS UDP, which is above IP.

After the converter unit 8 has received the charging data from the RADIUS server 11, the converter unit generates charging messages which are transmitted through the exchange 104 to the subscriber's local exchange 3 (or any other public telephone billing coordinator). Charging messages are in fact CRG messages as defined in SS7 Q.762 (although, for example, they may be replaced by standard charging "pulses"). Thus, the converter unit 8 is not only an E.1: SS7 to PRI protocol converter but also an IP to SS7 protocol converter.

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It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the charging data can be sent directly from the web servers 10 to the converter unit via the Internet link 12> .j rather than through the RADIUS server 11. The Internet service provider may also use • «· I I) ·. 20 sets of different RADIUS servers, each serving a specific group »» »• * · ....: network access servers and / or web servers.

It is also obvious that while the above embodiment deals with web servers, RADIUS servers, and network access servers that are connected via the Internet, this does not have to be the case. The connections can be made using some other • · · V * communication links, such as the leased lines of the ISP or from the LAN or WAN owned by the ISP. Correspondingly, the link between the RADIUS server 11 and the converter unit 8 may be provided via a data link which is not "·" · part of an open Internet network.

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Claims (11)

A method for charging fees in a communication network, wherein a user terminal is connected to a data network via a telecommunications network and a network access server, and wherein a protocol converter is between the telecommunications network and the network access server, and the converter and the network access server are connected via a telecommunications link, the method comprising: transmitting user data between said converter and the network access server, via said telecommunication link, using a circuit switching protocol; Transmitting charge data from the data network to said converter using a data packet switching protocol; and that, in response to having received said charge data at said converter, from the converter to the telecommunications network's charging system sends charge messages on the basis of which the telecommunications network operator can charge the user. 15. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said data network: v comprises the Internet, and said converter between the telecommunications network and the network access comprises: "in addition to said telecommunication link, an Internet link, thereby transmitting said charge data to said converter using an Internet protocol in 20 minutes. ... A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said data network comprises a web server, which for its function is arranged to store information which is accessible to the user via the telecommunications network and the Internet. • · · • «· ::: 25 • ·« · 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the data network comprises one or more charge servers arranged to register user access to the web services. 30 Method according to claim 4, characterized in that communication between the web servers and the fee servers is used using a security-protected protocol. 12 106343 Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that either the web servers or the charge servers are the source of said charge data, which is sent to said converter. 5 Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said converter converts transmissions in the telecommunications network in signaling system 7 (SS7, signaling system 7) protocols and in T1 / E1 protocols to service integrated digital networks (ISDN, Integrated Services). Digital Network) for transmission to the network access server via said telecommunication link and vice versa. The method of claim 7, wherein it is appended to claim 2, characterized in that said converter converts said charge data received from the data network into IP into charge messages in SS7 protocol (CRG messages, charge messages). * · ·, 9. An apparatus for charging fees in a communications network where an I <I. user terminal (1) is connected to a data network (7) via a telecommunications network (3, 4, 5) and a:: network access server (6), characterized in that the apparatus comprises: a protocol converter (8) for being placed between the telecommunications network (3) , 4, 5) and «4 TV: the network access server (6), wherein the converter (8) and the network access server (6) are interconnected via a telecommunications link (9) and arranged to transmit user data via said. Telecommunication link (9) using a circuit switching protocol; and means for generating charge data (11) to be connected to the data network (7) and arranged to transmit charge data to said converter (8) using data packet switching protocols, wherein the protocol converter (8) was further arranged to respond to • ·:. Receipt of said charge data at said converter (8) into a charging system (3) for the telecommunications network sending charge messages on the basis of which the telecommunications network operator can charge the user. 13 106343 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said protocol converter (8) is a converter from T1 / E.1 / SS7 protocols to PRI (Primary Rate Interface) protocols between the telecommunications network (3, 4, 5) and said telecommunications link (9), and converts from TCP / IP protocol to SS7 protocol 5 between the telecommunications network (3, 4, 5) and an IP link (12), which connects the converter (8) to the data network (7). Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the protocol converter (8) is a physically separate unit which is in use connected between a central (4) in the telecommunications network 10 (3, 4, 5) and said telecommunication and IP links ( 9.12). <I * (I (% II <<<«I f I« lilt (I • rr I ftir I t I t <I c I) «(<(• · · • 9 9 · • · · • 9 · 9 · «« · «» 9 · • 99 9 «· 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9